The Story of Jess and His Sister (AU)
by brittany.heye
Summary: This is a story about Jess, but with a twist. What if Jess had a sister named Brenna, sent to Luke along with him. This is their story. Jess is slight out of character. Rough start. Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, or the characters. First fan fiction.
1. Blurb for story

This is a story based off of Gilmore Girls, but with a twist. From season 2 on its AU about Jess, who has a sister. This is their story.


	2. Prologue

****Prologue*****

Jess couldn't believe it. He had put up with a lot of shit from his mother in the past. He had looked past it, or buried it. He focused on the one good thing that had come from Liz. His sister. Brenna was his exact replica in girl form. His mother said they looked like their father. Said that there wasn't much of her in them at all. She often said this when wasted, or high, or both. Jess was pacing his very small room, thinking about how Liz could do this to them. She knew he was getting into to trouble but did she understand why? No. She would have to be sober and actually care for that to happen. She didn't want to see what was so blatantly staring her in the face. So she called good old Uncle Luke. Who hasn't seen Bre and me since we were two. The last time he dared come to New York. He told us stories about his home, the small town, creepy stories. Luke apparently abhorred the city, and wanted nothing to do with it, even if his wayward sister and her two kids were there apparently. Thinking on that for a minuet he realized that this guy obviously wouldn't care. If he hadn't bother in 15 years than why start now. He probably just did it to shut Lizzy up. Sighing he decided to break the news to his sister himself.

Walking towards the other small room on this end of the apartment, he considered how to do this. Bre hated change, and she hated meeting new people, hence why she came off as an abrasive bitch. That's how she hid the fear. Sighing he focused on the task at hand and knocked on the door of the girls domain, which he never dared enter without permission.


	3. Chapter 1: Bad News Bill

**Chapter One: Bad News Bill**

Brenna's POV~

I had come home a few hours ago to hear Jess and Liz arguing again, knowing they could go for hours, I dashed to my room, tuning them out, and slipped my favorite CD into the shitty stereo I had saved and saved for, hearing the first calming notes of Want to Rock and Roll All Night by KISS. I was weird that way, I listened to music instead of deciding to join one side or the other of the fight currently going down in the living room. I knew for a fact the only side I would take didn't need my help anyway. My brother can handle _her_ just fine on his own.

Two hours later I wake up to silence, my CD long since over and done with, and someone banging on the door. I step to it hesitantly and focus for a minute and automatically I can tell its Jess. I open the door and I automatically know this isn't an "I have good news visit." No this is the "Liz screwed up and now we are stuck with the consequences look." I look him in the eye and flatly say, "Lay it to me straight J, what did she do now?" He sighs and begins to speak, thinks for a second and then pushes me slightly into my room so he could come in and close the door, obviously not wanting _her_ to hear and possibly start the argument all over again. So I sat down on my mattress and waited, he would share when he was ready, aka when he was once again relatively calm. He finally takes a deep breath and launches into his story.

"Lizzy has had the brilliant idea, thanks to what happened last night that she needs to send me away. To Uncle Luke. And that as an added bonus maybe he could help you as well. Two for the price of one so to speak. She's sending us to Stars Hollow. To live with Luke, in his fantasy town, and she is going to go back to that asshole of the week." When the rant ends, I'm in shock, and I can't believe that our own freaking mother is sending us away. To the place she ran away from. I'm just staring at Jess, waiting for him to say "just kidding even good ole Liz isn't that bad," but it doesn't come. I'm numb. So Jess, my very sweet big brother by two whole minuets, sits down finally, puts his arm around me and tells me that it will all be okay, that he would protect me, and that he would get us out of there as soon as it was plausible. I just nod, numbly, knowing he was trying to find us a way out that we didn't have. What would happen to us now that our own fucked up mother didn't want us anymore? Why weren't we good enough for her to get clean, get sober, and stay that way? Why did she run from Stars Hollow? I guess only time will tell.

Jess POV~

I had heard Bre come in right after the argument started, and saw her head to her room. As I stood in front of the door to her room, I took a deep breath, knowing she was going to take this hard. Unlike me, Bre still held onto a small shred of hope that one day our lovely mother would decide to get clean again, get sober again, and love us again. I knew this was too good to be true. Liz would never give up her lifestyle, and we didn't fit into it so she was finally doing something about it.

Our argument started because her boyfriend of the week dumped her, because of me supposedly. He claimed that he didn't want to live with a troubled kid, his words not mine. So he took off. He hadn't been a fan of me or Bre since they started dating, and he consequently moved in a few weeks ago. Larry, the boyfriend, told _her_ where to find him when she ditched "her heavy load of motherhood" apparently so now she is using last night to do just that, and making me tell Bre that Liz is breaking her heart, again. I have lost count of the numerous amount of times I have had to do this. Every tough decision, one that usually hurt us, are told to Bre from me, not _her_, making me the one to have watch Brenna's heart get broken over and over and over again by the woman she just wants a little motherly love from.

Sighing I knock, and hear her start moving, only to stop almost immediately. I know she's listening to the knocking trying to decide who it is. She knew it was me I guess, so she opened the door, took one look at my face and then said, "Lay it to me straight J, what did she do now?" Her flat tone of voice let me know that she had seen in my face this wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation. I opened my mouth, about to tell her, but then stopped. I realized that I didn't want to have this conversation in the hallway with her door open, so I nudged her backwards and closed her door. I watched her cross the small space of her room, and plop down on the mattress laid on the floor. _She_ was to poor and cheap to get us bed frames, so we slept on mattresses on the floor. Her walls were decorated with a plethora of band posters, from varying artists and genres. I stood in front of her, looking around her room to calm myself, still pissed off that I had to be the one to tell her we were being shipped off to god knows where, with no idea on when we will return, or even if we will return. Sighing, I launch into what I have to say, hoping this won't hurt her too much.

"Lizzy has had the brilliant idea, thanks to what happened last night that she needs to send me away. To Uncle Luke. And that as an added bonus maybe he could help you as well. Two for the price of one so to speak. She's sending us to Stars Hollow. To live with Luke, in his fantasy-like town, and she is going to go back to that asshole of the week." When the rant ends, I watch her reaction. She freezes, and then starts to look so sad. It rips at my heart to see her, I can see her searching for something in my face, probably waiting for me to tell her that Liz really isn't sending us away and that this was a joke. When I didn't give her what she was desperately hoping for, I watched her face crumble. She looked so lost, and sad. The look kills me, so I sit next to her, sing my arm around the only person in this world I care about, and pull her close. I make a promise I can only hope to keep. I tell her that it will all be okay, that I would protect her, and that I would get us out of there as soon as it was plausible. I started to plan. I would get a job. I would save money, and then she and I would leave Luke, Liz, and all our problems. We would go somewhere new, start over, and leave all the pain and sadness behind.


	4. Chapter 2: This is Hell

**Chapter Two: This is Hell on Earth**

Jess POV~

Two days later we found ourselves on a bus to Hell. Literally. We sat side by side, identical scowls on our faces, and identical in our unhappiness. I was fighting the urge to run up to the front, grab the driver, and move him, then drive back to New York, to the familiar, to the places I could go to when it all got to be too much. I watched with clenched teeth as my favorite city faded and turned into countryside's, before giving up on hope and pulling out a book, _A Farewell To Arms,_ to lose myself to that world for a while, Bre doing the same with her battered copy of her favorite book, _Little Women_.

About two hours later I looked up again and noticed the sign that said Woodbridge and knew we would be there soon if Liz's stories were any good to go on. So I put away my book, and went back to watching out my window as we got closer and closer to our new "home." Sure enough 10 minutes later we passed a sign that welcomed us to Stars Hollow. I knew that all my assumptions about this place were real, and terribly true just from the things I saw out the window. I looked over to see Bre still blissfully unaware of the place were now in, so I nudged her as the bus came to a stop. We both stood up, letting the few others leave before finally forcing ourselves off the bus, with only our most important possessions and some clothes in the identical army style duffle bags hanging off of our shoulders. We were met with a man who could only be described as a lumberjack. Flannel shirt, backwards ball cap, and jeans all screaming down home country man. We stood out noticeably. Both of us clad in dark colors, and dark looks. The man hesitantly stepped forward and said in a questioning voice, "Jess? Bre?" We both just nodded as almost one person and said at the exact time, "Uncle Luke."

Bre POV~

As we exited the stinky bus we had been occupying for the last two and a half hours we were met with what could only be my mother's brother. He looked like a lumber jack, all flannel and jeans, and scruffy. I heard the question in his voice, probably trying to reconcile us with the image of the two children he hadn't seen since we were 2 and cute and defenseless.

I watched him struggle to reconcile that image with us as we are today. The boy, clad in a long sleeve, camo shirt, a blue snow vest open over top of that, hair jelled to his usual height and perfection, dark jeans and boots. His black studded watch on one wrist, sleeves pulled up because of the heat making the watch notable, it standing out because of our pale skin. As well as the girl standing slightly behind Jess, aka me. I was similar to Jess, in the dark clothing we had chosen. I was wearing a black long sleeve shirt that only went down to my mid stomach, with a gray knit sleeveless top pulled over that which fell all the way to the top of my jeans, along with ripped up skinny jeans. On my feet were my favorite pair of grey Nike basketball shoes, which I had saved forever to buy. I have multiple piercings in my ears, my nose has a small black hoop in one nostril, and a skull and crossbow charm dangling from the stud in my bellybutton. We were both super skinny, thanks to lack of food, and our clothes poor and old. We were quite the sight to the poor guy, I could tell he couldn't believe these were the same kids he remembered.

We all greeted one another awkwardly, me and J doing the whole "twin thing" talking almost in sync, which I could see freaked my uncle out, hence the smirk slowly spreading across my face. I immediately wiped my face clean, mask back on and untucked my long black from behind my ear, letting my bangs fall and cover on side of my face, my usual defense mechanism, that and the standing slightly behind my brother is what helped me feel safer, and more in control in new surroundings as well as with new people. My moment of weakness never occurred to the two men with me.

We all awkwardly trouped back to the building my uncle obviously owned. He pushed open the door, and it was like walking into a movie set. It was a perfect replica of a small town diner, and it even had two signs, which was confusing, until Luke started babbling. "Your grandfather owned this building, ran a hardware store, when he died the business failed and I took over, turned the place into a diner and I've, uh, done okay I guess." He tappers off at the end, noticing the look of boredom on both of our faces. He started walking across the diner, to a curtain that obviously covering a hallway, and a staircase. Up the stairs, and through a door proclaiming the space as "office" and into a converted apartment fit for one, not the three it would now hold. Luke pointed around, indicating what was where, and jabbering about each thing or place he pointed at, finally stopping right before sleeping arrangements. But from our bland looks, he jumped back into the ramble, "uh, Jess the mattress is yours, I will get a cot soon but for now I only had one, and Brenna the cot over there is yours. The sheets are new though so that should be nice." He was still waiting on some reaction so at we simply said, "huh."

Then Jess dumped his stuff out onto his bed, which Luke noticed was scare, and proceeded to question Jess. I rolled my eyes, sauntered over to what was quickly going to be known as a "girl" zone and dumped my stuff on the cot, my eyes searching over it for 'Little Women' my favorite book, the one I had been reading on the bus, and then proceed to follow a now leaving Jess out the door, out the diner, only to slam into his back when he stopped and stared around like this was a nightmare. Too bad buddy, we are living this nightmare with no escape.

Jess POV~

After our simultaneous answer, Bre obviously got bored or something and sauntered off to her "side" more like corner of the tiny living space we were all supposed to inhabit. We have lived in places this size before with three people plus Liz's flavor of the week, sometimes flavor of the month or longer if she got lucky. I zoned out, dumping my stuff on my bed, only to be asked by the lumberjack where all my stuff was. "Lizzies going to send the rest of it, to both of us." Was the only answer he received, and it was dripping with sarcasm and hate. I then searched through my stuff for a pack of cigarettes and a book and I was off, ignoring whatever else came out of my uncle's mouth. Out the apartment door, through the diner and out the door only to freeze on the steps in shock, and then almost face plant thanks to my sister who had followed my lead.

We stood, looking around, watching all the happy families walk by us, or around us. We took in the tiny town, and immediately started walking towards the only hopeful looking building in the whole town, the book store. We didn't need to talk because in new situations my sister follows my lead. She had done her usual defense mechanisms earlier when we got off of the bus, her long hair covering half her face, and standing behind me.

She started that a long time ago, especially using me as a shield. She was being chased by a boy during recess our first day of kindergarten, and he was scarring her so she ducked behind me, and even then the sight of me stopped the kid in his tracks. He whipped around and took off in the opposite direction, thanks to the 'don't mess with my sister' look on my face. Even as a kid I was good at defending us. After the age of 5, when the delusion of _her_ caring, when we both got the crap beat out of us by her boy toy, while she did nothing to stop it, I became strong. I learned how to defend us, and I have been keeping us safe. I have taken all the beatings since the first one for both of us, and if anyone so much as looked at her wrong, they got the crap beat out of them by me. I knew my sister, and while she tries to act confident in new situations, she's not. Underneath the mask she has on right now, there is probably fear, nerves, and sadness all coursing through her.

We could feel the judgmental stares on us, as we made our way across the square. I already knew we would be disliked in this town. We were too edgy for this small conservative little town. As we walked into the bookstore, the familiar, calming smell of books old and new swept over us. We both split up and began our search. Love of books was yet another thing we shared. We loved to read, and had been from the time we were 4, and Liz taught us how. We read everything and anything. She didn't however, share my need to add my thoughts to the margins. She did like to read my copies of books though, because she loved my insight. We both loved the smell of books, and the feel of one in our hands. We also both loved music, I listened to mostly the oldies, and the punk rock stuff. She listened to anything and everything. She would listen to it all; country, rock, pop, classical, musicals, etc. Between the two of us we had a massive library of books and music, most of which had come with us, or would be shipped to us soon.


	5. Chapter 3: Dinner With The Lorelai's (1)

**Chapter 3: Dinner With The Lorelai's Part 1**

Bre POV~

After about an hour of wandering the small bookstore, we left. Me with the only purchase, a copy of _Little Men_ because mine was destroyed by Liz a few months ago, after she caught me reading on the balcony, and refusing to move so she could come out and smoke.

We headed back to Luke's, both just wanting to lie down and calm our nerves before a likely to be awkward night with our uncle. As we walked in the bell chimed. There was a pretty, young woman sitting in front of Luke, conversing with him. She was beautiful with long black hair, blues eyes, and light skin. She held the coffee mug like it was her life line. I sympathized. I love, love, love coffee! I noticed this when my uncle stopped us on our way to the apartment to introduce us to her, and try and get u to speak more than one word. I actually hadn't spoken since the first 'huh' at the bus stop. "This is Lorelai Gilmore, she runs the Independence Inn, wait you probably haven't been there yet. Oh, and Lore this is Brenna and Jess, my niece and nephew. They are twins, opps I told you that earlier" He rambles, we make him nervous, I can tell from the rambling and the blush slowly creeping up his cheeks. Apparently the woman, Lorelai can to, because when he stops talking she starts, "Ya I'm Lorelai. Welcome to Stars Hollow. You guys should meet my daughter, she's about your age, and could show you all the "cool" places to go. Places to get away from us older folk. We are fairly boring I know, well except me, I'm to fun to ever be boring." She's a talker, I can sense that immediately and so can Jess because he just stares at her, and then, for both of us, says, "huh" before we continue on our way to the stairs.

As we make our way upstairs I freeze, because I realized I hadn't had my hair across my face. That makes me nervous, I hate my eyes. They are the only part of Liz I got, her light blue eyes. I hid them as much as possible, not wanting to be associated with _her_ any more than I have to be.

Lorelai POV~

I walked into Luke's curious to see if the teens we had discussed earlier today had gotten here yet and meet them. I wanted some more friends for Rory, and being related to Luke I assumed these two would be good kids she could relate with. I worry she's sometimes to focused and driven, and that she doesn't have enough friends, or isn't social enough. As soon as I sit down, ask where they were as he handed me a cup and then take a sip of my coffee, then Luke tells me he doesn't know where the kids are, seeing as they had left the apartment. "Luke! You have to ask where kids are going. You're responsible for them. They could get lost! They could be knocking over a bank, or stealing and you wouldn't know!" "You really think they would tell me if they were doing the last two? No. And they can't get lost, you take three left turns and your back in the center of town!" As he finishes the sentence the bell chimes, and he looks up as two teens head to the curtain hiding the stairs.

Wow. That's all I can think. These are not the kids I imagined in my head, they looked like a pair of hoodlums. But then I guess, in a way they probably know nothing else. I have inferred that their mother isn't all that great, and probably doesn't make much. So I decide to be open minded. But these kids look nothing like Luke. The only similarity I can find is the girl, Brenna I think Luke said was her name was. Her eyes are a similar shade of blue to Luke's, but other than that they are very different. Pale skin, tattered clothes, black hair all of it. They are quite the pair of lookers though. The boy is lean, way too skinny to be healthy, but the scowl on his face wipes away the handsomeness. The girl, who had slipped partially behind her brother like she was scared of us, was beautiful. Her black hair fell almost to her waist, and she had bangs that fell from the left side of her face, over to her right. They would probably cover the whole right side of her face if they weren't tucked behind her ear. She had a small waist, a flat stomach, which was on view to everyone, and her bellybutton pierced. Her ears pierced multiple times, as well as her nose and her eyes flitting around watching the conversation unfold, and she had a tight grip on the Stars Hollow Bookstore bag in her hand. I then notice her non-existent answers and wonder about that. After the abrupt end to the conversation I watched them retreat, both of them were short, probably only a few inches taller than Rory.

I had an idea, thinking they were just shy in new places, I decided to invite the three to dinner tomorrow and give them some people to know. "Hey Luke, how about you guys come to my house tomorrow for dinner, give them some familiar faces, and what not." I watch him deliberate for a minute, and then he agrees. "Great! Sukie can cook, and bring Jackson and his produce. I'll make sure Rory is home, so that they have someone their age to talk to, and I will actually tidy up a bit!" I laugh at the end, and then throw in a time to. After Luke agrees to the set tie, I stand up, take the to-go cup of my elixir of life, coffee, and I'm out the door to plan my dinner party for tomorrow.

Luke POV~

After I close up, I head up to the apartment wondering what I will find. God Lore was right. I haven't thought this through. How was I supposed to break through to these two? One apparently doesn't speak, and the other is mean, surly and sarcastic. I can't reconcile the image of these two as small children to what they are now. Part of me understands that parts of them are explained by the place they grew up, but everything is mind-blowing. I mean, I know Liz isn't all that great, but can this possibly be her fault? Is she sober, clean? I realized I don't know the answer as enter the apartment. I was roused from my thoughts by the blasting music that hit me as soon as the door opened. It was some heavy metal crap, and Jess and Brenna were just sitting there, nodding along and reading together on the couch. I immediately head to the stereo to turn down the noise of what the CD case sitting out says is Metallica. I pause for a moment to listen, realize why I hate this music and reach towards the stereo.

Thunder and lightning the gods take revenge  
Senseless destruction  
Victims of fury are cowardly now  
Running for safety  
Stabbing the harlot to pay for her sins  
Leaving the virgin  
Suicide running as if it were free  
Ripping and tearing

On through the mist and the madness  
We are trying to get the message to you  
Metal Militia  
Metal Militia  
Metal Militia

As my hand reaches for the volume dial a quiet voice cuts through the noise. "We need that to sleep, please don't turn it off." I whip around to see Jess staring at Brenna shocked, just as I am. I haven't heard her speak since the twin moment at the bus station. She realizes what she did and retreats immediately. She scoots close to her brother and starts hiding behind the curtain of hair, and is that, fear in her eyes? I quickly realize she's afraid that I'm angry, and try and eradicate that, as gently as possible I say, "Oh, well than I'm just going to turn it down a bit if that is alright? I have a slight headache from the long day. Oh and I have an early delivery so I have to get up at four a.m. And you both have to report to work at 8 since it will be a Saturday. You two start school Mondays so you will work before school, from 6 to eight and then help me with the dinner rush after school from 5-7 but other than that you guys can go out or something." They are both staring at me at the end of my rambling, and something clicks, "Liz didn't tell you that you would be working did she?" Jess shoots up, "no she didn't, why do we have to work for you?" I flinch at the hate and judgment in the tone of his words, and answer, "because your mom felt bad about not having any money to help cover your stay here, so she decided you two could work for me to make up for her payment. I told her I didn't want money, but she insisted saying you would need work anyways, and that it would probably straighten you out Jess, and bring you out of your shell Brenna." Jess looks pissed by the end of that and Brenna just looks sad. Before Jess can say anything though, Brenna speaks again, just as quietly, "She's been planning this for a while then J, she never would have come up with all that in one afternoon, she…she hasn't wanted…didn't care..." she's crying by the end. Jess's anger grows, I can see it in his eyes and face, but he kneels down next to her and pulls her into his arms and whispers to her, things that I can't hear until she calms down, I just look away and bob up and down on the balls of my feet, unsure of what to do. When it gets quiet, I look back over and see she's asleep. Jess swoops her up, carries her to bed, thankfully she's apparently dressed for it and puts her to bed before turning to face me full on. He points outside and I realize he wants to talk to me out in the hall, so I follow him, but stop at the stereo to turn it down slightly.

Jess POV~

"Because your mom felt bad about not having any money to help cover your stay here, so she decided you two could work for me to make up for her payment. I told her I didn't want money, but she insisted saying you would need work anyways, and that it would probably straighten you out Jess, and bring you out of your shell Brenna." Luke says. I can't believe that my mother would come up with that. She has been planning this for a while then, because that is very thought out for her. I'm pissed, she's been looking for an excuse to do this for a long time based on the thought level of that plan. Bre starts to speak so I turn to her, getting more upset with _her_ when I see the sadness in Bre's eyes. "She's been planning this for a while then J, she never would have come up with all that in one afternoon, she…she hasn't wanted…didn't care..." she's crying by the end. I reflexively sit down and pull her into the safety of my arms, knowing that it helps to calm her down. "Shhh, shhh Bre it's going to be okay. I promise it will. I don't know how but it will. I promise I will fix this. _She_ doesn't deserve your tears sweetheart. I'm here, and I'm not going to go anywhere or let anything happen to you." She had gradually calm down through my speaking in hear, and faded into sleep by the end. I picked her up gently and put her to bed. Then I motioned to Luke to follow me to the hallway so we wouldn't wake her. As we go by I see him pause at the stereo, and I watch to see what he does, letting out a small breath of relief when he just turns it down instead of flicking it off.

As we pass into the hallway, I walk to the opposite wall before turning to meet my uncle's eyes again and lean against the wall. I size him up again, thinking that I could probably take I'm fairly easily, if it ever comes to that, I don't know if it will, because I haven't watched him enough or been around him long enough, but he seems different then _her_ men. "She still holds onto hope that Liz wants us, so stuff like this kills her. I will work for you, but she doesn't do well with strangers. She has trust issues. Is there something else she could do? Like help in the Kitchen or something? She's a good cook, she just can't do people." I watch his face as I speak, and I see the millions of questions in his eyes, and he thinks for a second before responding. "I will have to think on what she could do. My insurance only covers the cook and me so I don't think she can cook in case something happens. Why do you think Liz doesn't want you? She sent you guys here to help you didn't she?" I snort, he's naïve, I see that now, is fairytale town putting blinders up to the rest of the world, the real world ain't no fairytale. "She hasn't wanted us since we were five and the man she was married to decided to divorce her because she devoted more time to us than him. She blamed us, went back to the booze and pot, and hasn't looked back since." He looks shocked, like he can't believe that what I said is true, that no man would do that to a woman, and say that about her and her kids. I see the hate in his eyes for that man, and I feel myself start to trust this man, which isn't good. He surprises me with his reply, "Well you two are good here than. I should have known Liz couldn't stay clean. I'm sorry for not visiting more, but Liz never wanted me around, I tried to get her to come home for holidays or go to her but she refused. Oh and speaking of gatherings, Lorelai has invited us to her house tomorrow night for dinner at 6:30." I just nod and answer, "It's whatever Luke, I handled it, kept Bre safe, tried getting Liz to quit again but gave up when she didn't, and focused on Bre. Bre will be nervous tomorrow but I'll take care of that because I can see you want to go." I surprise even myself with that last part and I can see the shock in his eyes. He however doesn't say anything, just nods and heads back into the apartment to get ready for bed. So I follow suit, wondering if it's smart to trust this man, and what tomorrow will bring. Should I have told him so much? Will he really keep us here? As I get into bed and stare at the ceiling all I can think is, "maybe, just maybe he will let us stay, and we can trust him." Life would be much easier if we had at least one adult we could trust.


	6. Chapter 3: Dinner With The Lorelai's (2)

**Chapter 3: Dinner With The Lorelai's (Part Two) **

Bre POV~

The next morning I woke up to sunlight streaming through the open curtains. I forget where I am for a moment, until I look around and remember everything that happened yesterday. I felt the sadness wash over me again, but I fought it. I was done letting Liz break my heart, and done letting her affect me. As of today, she was no longer my mother. She joined Jimmy, they are just donors to my lifeline, not my parents. I'm an orphan.

After I shower and dress for the day, I realize that I was supposed to be down in the diner 45 minutes ago. I quickly fly down the stairs, hoping Luke isn't to mad. As I push through the curtain, I freeze. There is too many people, to many variables. I stand there frozen for a second, until out of nowhere Jess appears. He takes my hand and pulls me backwards, down the small hallway to the storeroom. "You don't have to serve Bre. I talked to Luke about it, and you have today off until he figures something else out. So you can go back upstairs or out, and I will find you after I'm done." I surprise myself, but I make a decision, "No. I can serve, I can't keep letting fear control me. And I'm over Liz. If she doesn't want us fine, then she doesn't get to be my parent again, ever." He is staring at me, but then he smiles, which is a rare thing for him, and pulls me into his chest. "I'm so proud of you Bre. That's a good plan. I've been waiting for you to decide to give up on _her_, and as long as you're sure I can go get Luke and you can talk to him about what he needs you to do." I nod yes, and wait while he goes back out to send my uncle to me. I take a deep breath, calming the nerves that I know I will be battling constantly for a while. I hear my uncle's footsteps coming towards me and immediately the mask slips into place as he appears in the doorway. "I hear you decided to try working? Are you sure? I can." I cut him off right there, "No. I'm fine, just tell me what I need to do." He looks at me for a second, assessing me I guess, before he tells me that all I need to do is take orders, refill coffee, and then help bus tables between customers. I take a deep breath and then head back out to the diner. I pick up a pad just as the bell chimes, and the woman from yesterday comes flying through the door. She breezes in, jabbering about something, and seats herself at the counter. I subtly wave both my uncle and J off and take a breath before walking towards her on the opposite side of the counter, glad for at least that small barrier as I prepare to deal with the first customer of my waitressing career. "Hello, what can I get this morning?"

Lorelai POV~

I breeze into Luke's, jabbering about Rory, the inn, and my parents as I settle myself into my usual spot at the counter, and finally focus on what's happening around me. Luke and Jess are staring at Brenna, as she heads towards me. They both seem to decide something, almost at the same time, and break away from the counter to go about their jobs, as she appears in front of me. Up close I see just how alike her and Luke's are, and I am shocked by the sound of her voice. "Hello, what can I get this morning?" I stare for a second, before realizing how rude I'm being, and answer, "Coffee, a big cup, big as you have! Oh! And chocolate chip pancakes, and bacon, and two eggs Sunnyside up! Thanks!" She just nods, and heads away to hand the slip to Caesar and then heads out to help Luke take plates of a table.

Luke appears in front of me to serve the coffee, and I see he's deep in thought. "Luke? Are you okay? Can I help you solve whatever complicated math problem you seem to be computing in your head?" He looks at me, and I can tell it's not something he wants to say in front of his new charges, and a diner full of people, so I just whisper, "Explain later?" After his nod, "Lore how many cups have you had? And what did your parents do last night? I didn't catch that part?" I smile at him, knowing he was changing the subject, and launch into my tale.

After my breakfast, the diner had calmed down, I was the only person left besides the three inhabitants of the upstairs living space. I take a moment to study the three of them. Luke is the same as always, seemingly doing everything at once, and Jess is leaning on the end of the counter reading, as he had been since Brenna showed up, only moving when Luke forced him to. I knew he hadn't been reading though. His eyes had been trained on his twin, following her every move, and scanning her face, seemingly waiting for her to suddenly scream, or cry or something, I wasn't exactly sure. Brenna was cleaning of the last dirty table, stacking plates and cups, and moving between the kitchen and the table with an uneasy gate, as she had been all morning. I knew she was uncomfortable so when she came back to refill my coffee, since Luke was in the kitchen with Caesar, I asked, "So Brenna, what do you think of this quaint little town? Is it weird after life in the city? Oh who am I kidding, of course it is. I know that better than anyone. I grew up in Hartford, so moving here was a shock!" She stares at me for a minute and I know she's pondering what to do, and I'm happy she decides to reply after my idiotic rambles. "Yes its weird, it's really quite here, the city was always noisy. I don't really know what I think about it yet. I've only been to the bookstore and here." I nod in understanding, "Rory loves the bookstore, she's my daughter, I think I mentioned that yesterday. Anyway you will meet her tonight, and I'm sure she will love to show you and your brother around. Speaking of tonight, I have to run, got lots to do! Thanks for breakfast Luke!" I throw the last line at Luke, who had reappeared at Brenna's side as I breeze out the door.

Bre POV~

I watch Lorelai breeze out the door and I can't help the small smile that spreads across my face as she leaves. Not only did I survive the whole morning, but I had a nice conversation with a woman my mother's age that wasn't high as a kite, or in a drunken stupor. I can feel Luke next to me, so I turn to face him and since I knew Jess had just disappeared upstairs. "Thank you for taking us in Luke. I know J can be difficult, but he has been his own boss for a long time. And he is the only family I have had for a long time. So thanks for giving us a home, without hesitation. I know we seem way out there and weird, but I promise we will try and do our best to be okay here, and not cause problems." He stares at me, amusement in his eyes, before he answers me back. "You and your brother are my family. You help family. And I'm beginning to gather that there is more to you than your surface appearance, and thank you for covering up a little more today. I don't want my customers uncomfortable, but I know I'm not your parent so I don't care what you wear, the only time I will care is when you're working. And like I told Jess, you two are welcome here." "Thank you. I will remember that. Do you mind if I go up with Jess? Or do you still need help here?" He smiles and just nods towards the stairs in answer, so I head up to see my brother and talk to him about Luke, our stay here, and my plan.

Jess POV~

I put Metallica back on to calm myself after my stressful morning of watching my sister conquer her fears. I can't help but smile with pride when I think about that. She is really going to try and get away from the Liz disappointment, and become indifferent towards her, which I know will be hard, but I know she can do it. A few minutes later I hear her climbing the stairs. I watch her as she comes in. Her hair is up today, another surprise.

"Hey J? Can we talk for a minute? I want to talk to you about somethings." I head for the couch, pat the space next to me and wait for her to get comfortable, knowing she will continue in a second. "I think we need to cut Luke some slack. He is doing so much for us, and he doesn't have to. So can you try and be somewhat decent? I want to try and trust him. He's the only other family we have." She stares at me expectantly, and I can see the hope in her eyes. She wants this to work. "I really don't want to go back to her J. I can't live that way anymore. I'm sick of living in fear of her boyfriends, worrying about you, and worrying about where our next meal will come from. I want the security I know we can have here. So can you try and not cause too much trouble for Luke? I don't want him to send us away too." "I promise B I will try, but you know how I am with authority figures." I know that is all I can promise. I don't do well with adults who think they can try and tell me what to do, where to be, and how to live my life.

We sat together in silence for a little while after that conversation, enjoying the fact that we had less to worry about here. Then we heard Luke climbing the stairs. "Hey guys, we have dinner with the Gilmore's at 6:30 but if you want to go out before that then you can. There isn't a dress code or anything. Oh and she's getting a couple of her friends over as well, because they cook, and trust me we don't want Lore in charge of food, unless it's take out." We both nod, and the he retreats back to the diner, I can hear the beginnings of the rush. "Why don't you go wander J, I know you want to smoke, you keep reaching for a cig. I'll stay here and shower and get ready, and then probably go curl up in the bookstore for a while. I might grab a Popsicle though. It looks pretty warm out." I nod at her in thanks, grab a book, my pack of cigs and then I'm out the door and down the stairs. I know that after sitting outside for a while I will want to shower before dinner otherwise I will stink, but that's all pushed to the back of my mind as I wander town looking for a quiet place to read. I wander for a little bit, and then suddenly I realize I'm on a secluded bridge, and no one else seems to be around. Perfect. I sit myself down, and settle in for a day of cigarettes and a book.

Bre POV~

After Jess leaves, I take his CD out of the stereo, and grab one of my favorite CD's, _Woman in Me_ by Shania Twain, and put my favorite song of hers on. As the familiar tune starts to flood the apartment I start to sing along while I move around gathering the clothes I plan on wearing to dinner, my bathroom stuff, and tiding up my part of the small apartment, because I'm slightly OCD. As I sing along to the songs on the CD I feel content for the first time in a few days. Music calms me, same with books, I listen to the lyrics and I find myself following the stories they tell, wondering if life could ever be that way for me, or remembering times in my life that were as bad as the lyrics describe. I relate to music and books, but I mostly look for the stories happier than mine and day dream of finding the love, happiness and peace the characters tend to find.

After my shower, where I sing along at the top of my lungs, I pull my outfit for the rest of the day on. I pull on a black bandeau and a red sheer short sleeve shirt, black ripped up skinny jeans, changed out my bellybutton piercing to a black rose, and clean my piercing in my nose. I pull out my red keds that my friend drew black roses on and pull them on. I then stare at myself, trying to decide what to do with the black, thick mane of hair. I pull out my hair dryer, leave the bathroom, and stand in front of the mirror in the other room to dry my hair. I had let the CD end right before I dried it, knowing that I wouldn't be able to hear while I was anyway. After it was dry, I changed the CD to and Alabama CD, and then began braiding my hair. I decided to braid some of it to look like a headband, and then leave the rest down. I then put my small amount of make-up on in the form of the smoky eye and I was ready to face the day. I grab my leather jacket, my wallet and head downstairs.

When I get to the bottom, I move the curtain aside to see the lunch rush in full swing, and uncle standing in the middle of the dinner, coffee pot in one hand and the other gesturing like crazy while he argues with a weird looking guy in a sweater and graying hair. "No! No Taylor. I will not hang advertisements for your store in my window! I have my own business to run! I don't need to muck up my windows with ads for your store!" He then sees me and gives me a pleading look over the man's shoulder, so I jump in and help him out by refilling coffee's and waters while he tries to get rid of the man, Taylor, but it doesn't seem to be working. "Taylor the answer is no, the answer will always be no. Is there anything else you would like to discuss or can I relieve my niece and let her continue on her way?" The man, obviously curious to see Luke's new charges, whips around to face me. I can tell this man is power hungry, I've seen it before, so I stand at my full height, and look him square in the eye, knowing that he will hate that I won't submit to his will either. "Well hello young lady! How are you liking our quaint corner of the world…" He drifts off as my appearance sinks in. I know how I look to men like him, like trouble. "Well you certainly could cover up more don't you think young lady. It's impolite to be showing that much skin in public! It's indecent! Luke how could you allow her to walk around like this! And those piercings! How can you condone her wearing such things in your establishment?" He the notices what no one else has yet, as I had been wearing long sleeves yesterday. I have a beautiful tattoo on my shoulder. It's a rose in bloom, and I have my brother's name and mine above it in cursive and below it is our birthday. The rose is a deep red and the stem a deep green. I had yet to put on my jacket so he noticed it. I knew everyone was staring at us, and before my uncle could defend me, I defended myself.

Luke POV~

Before I could say anything, I noticed Brenna drawing herself up, and I was curious to see her reaction. "Well I don't know you but apparently you think you run the planet. This is not your diner, is it? No it's my uncles. My clothes are my clothes. I am my own human, capable of making my own decisions. If you don't like my ink or my piercings that's not really my problem is it? My uncle and have already discussed my attire, not that it is any of your business. Now if you don't mind I would like to continue on my way out to go find my twin, and Luke would like you to get the hell out. So if I were you, I would get smart and move yourself on out." Her hard stare must scare her more than mine as he still hasn't faced me again, and he makes his way out finally. "Thanks for that Bre. Sorry about Taylor he thinks he owns the town just because he is selectman. You might as well stay for a minute, seeing as this little outburst will be in full discussion in 3 minutes. Babette, Patti this is my niece, Brenna, and Brenna this is Patti and Babette the town gossips." The women wave, and then head out the door to spread the news about the niece, and the still elusive nephew. "So Luke I think I'm gonna go find J now, and maybe hit the bookstore again." I nod and watch as she covers her ink with her leather jacket, and the heads out the door. I can't help the pride I feel knowing that my niece and nephew aren't pushovers, and won't suck up to, or apologize to men like Taylor Doose for anything. I for one don't min her tattoo, and I can't really judge since I have one as well. But I know hers is special because it's a representation of her and her brother. I know the two are very close so it doesn't surprise me that she would get his name tattooed above the rose along with hers.

~6:00 pm~

I head upstairs to change my grease stained shirt for another, and wash up before heading to Lore's house, and when I enter the apartment the polar opposite beds of my niece and nephew make me laugh. Brenna's little corner is tidy, all her books stacked, and her clothes probably nicely folded in her duffle until I figure space and furniture out. Jess's side however is a mess. His bed is unmade, and his crap is strewn over the top and along the sides in no particular order. I hear steps on the stairs and Brenna comes in alone. "Jess will be up soon, he just wanted to smoke one more cigarette and knew you probably wouldn't want him to smoke it up here." I frown before saying, "I would prefer he didn't smoke at all." The laugh that floats from my niece is so similar to Liz's that I'm pulled back to the past for a moment. "Trust me Uncle Luke that's a lost cause." I look down and see another bag from Andrew's bookstore in her hands and ask, "Any good books in there?" It surprises me that kids of Liz's would love to read, but they do apparently. "Ya, I found an older addition of _Pride and Prejudice_ and I found a copy of _Behind Hitler's Lines_ I've been looking for a while." I nod, not really understanding but trying for her sake. She walked past me to her corner of the room, and started adding her new purchases and the book from earlier into her stack, and I got ready to head to Lorelai's.

At 6:20 I start to get restless, wondering where Jess was. Both Bre and I were ready to go, she promised he would be up soon, and that all he would have to was change his shirt and touch up his hair. But if we wanted to make it to Lore's on time we have to leave in five minutes. Then, thankfully, I heard footsteps on the stairs. Jess came in, looking slightly frozen, and headed straight for his bed, grabbed a new shirt and his hair gel and then walked to the bathroom.

Lorelai POV~

Jackson and Sukie were in the kitchen, cooking as they had been for the last two hours. Rory had come home from the college fair and gone straight to the homework pile on her desk, and had been studying ever since. I knew Luke would be here soon so I tapped on her open door and said, "Hey hun, they should be here soon, so wrap up okay?" She nodded before facing the computer again. At 6:40 there was a knock on the door, so I went to answer it. "Hey, sorry we are late, someone got a little confused on what time we were actually leaving to get here." I smiled at Luke and his charges and led them inside and closed the door. Jess and Brenna immediately headed for the living room, and Luke and I hung back talking in the foyer. "Who got confused? Oh and I heard about Brenna and Taylor this morning. But who knows what was true and what was myth by the time it got to me. Did she really tell Taylor to bug off? And ask him off the premises?" "Yup, she did. And it was Jess. He was out smoking and wandering. Didn't get back until right before we were supposed to leave. We should probably make sure they are okay. I guess Brenna doesn't do so well in new places and situations." I nod and we head to the living room, the twins are looking at all my pictures on my mantel. "Hey why don't we move this party to the kitchen?" They both just nod and follow me. As we enter the kitchen Sukie and Jackson are yammering away in their usual manner, and I interrupt them. "Sukie, Jackson this is Brenna and Jess. Luke's niece and nephew. Jess, Brenna this is Sukie and Jackson." "Do you like cheese? Oh! How about milk, do you drink milk?" Sukie questions them and then before anyone can say anything, Jackson, who is cutting up one of his lemons says, "Oh my gosh! This is a great lemon! Sukie you have to try this Lemon! Do you guys want a lemon?" "Excuse me?" Jess looks like he thinks this man is crazy, and is obviously wondering what the heck he is doing here so I jump in, "Jackson grows fruit and then tries to scare people with it. Rory they are here!" I throw that into the open room slightly behind our group. Jess and Brenna drift towards her and Luke and I continue conversing with Sukie and Jackson.

Jess POV~

After the weirdo with the lemons freaks me out and Lorelai tries to remedy that by alerting her daughter to our presence. We both drift towards the back that is facing the computer, not us, as she says, "just a minute!" When she turns around she introduces herself. "Hey I'm Rory." "Jess. Wow some is hooked on phonics." I mention that while Bre and I admire her book collection. I notice a copy of the _Howl_ and grab it. "Ya I read a lot. Do you read?" "Not much." "Well that's a good one. I can lend it to you if you want to read it." I immediately place it on the corner of the dresser, "nah." Then I get a good look at her for the first time and I'm frozen in my place. She's beautiful. She has the most amazing blue eyes and long chestnut brown hair. Her skin is beautifully pale, and she obviously isn't a preppy girl who spends all her time on her appearance. "You must be Brenna. Nice to meet you. Can I see your tattoo? Oh, is it true you even have one? Nice handling of Taylor by the way. He kind of thinks he runs Stars Hollow, sticks his nose in everyone's business." Bre laughs, which is shocking but I can tell this is a girl Bre could easily befriend. "Ya I have one, it's on my shoulder. And ya I kinda guessed that about him, he's kind of an ass." She shrugs her jacket off, and Rory steps closer to her to inspect the rose on my sister's shoulder. I have to stop myself from stepping between her and my sister, fighting the defensive reflex, especially since Bre seems pretty calm. Just then Lorelai peaks her head in, hands full of bowls, "we have to get Jackson away from the lemons so we are moving this party out to the living room." Rory nods, "okay, be there in a sec." I see my in and I take it. I make my way over to the window, pull aside her curtains and ask, "So do these open?" "Yes, you just have to unlatch the latch and push." I smirk, she's playing right into my hands. "Well let's go then." She freezes, "Go where? It's Sunday in Stars Hollow. Even the church is closed. The 24 hour mini mart closed 45 minutes ago." "Anywhere but here. We can walk around, or find a bench and stare at our shoes." My sister snorts, knowing I'm not into these kinds of dinner parties, and I know she won't follow me, but I don't give that away to the girl I'm trying to get out of the house. "Come on, stay. It will be fun. Trust me." "I just met you. How am I supposed to trust you?" "Don't I look trustworthy?" I deliberate, knowing this girl probably hasn't told a lie once in her entire life. "Okay." She turns and heads to the kitchen, Bre on her tail. "Can I get you a soda? Water?" Bre asks for a soda but I shake my head, "I can get my own." "Fair enough. Come on Brenna lets go get food before mom steals all the good stuff." They head to the living room and I head to the fridge, and low and behold, there's a few beers one shelf above the sodas. I grab one and duck out back. Not knowing I'm about to be caught by Lorelai in a few minutes.

As I sip the beer and think about the last few days, I wonder what the hell I'm doing here, and why the heck I stayed. Sure the girl is pretty, but why would she give me the time of day? I'm so far out of her league it's not even funny. So I take the beer, and head out back towards town. I know Brenna will be fine, she seems comfortable around Lorelai, and now her daughter. Plus I think she's beginning to trust Luke, so I know she's taken care of. As I'm sneaking off someone catches me.

"Where are you going? Wait is that…that's one of my beers isn't it?" I sigh. Great. Just freaking great. "Yes, it's a beer. I needed something stronger than soda or water if I was going to be dealing with creepy fruit man, and crazy lady in there." "Hey, come on they aren't that bad. And they are my friends so please, be kinder. And obviously you weren't planning on sticking around, as you're halfway across my property and heading in the direction of town. Come on Jess, give them a chance, and give this place a chance. Your sister seems okay here. Don't you want to be happy?" I snort, "Lady, my sister trusts to easily. I love her to death but that's the truth. I don't have that luxury if I am going to keep us both safe. And trust me, I'm never going to feel comfortable or happy in this loony bin town. But for my sister I guess I will give this night a try."

We head back in, and I dump the beer by the sink and grab a soda and head into the living room. Praying to god this night didn't suck too much, and hoping that Rory and my sister would at least be available to avoid the adult's questions. I follow Lorelai back into the living room, and pause. There is a ton of food! "Now that everyone is here, let's dig in!" Everyone stands to follow Lorelai through the food line. I fall into step behind my sister who's talking to Rory about her school, apparently its some fancy place in the closest big city to here, Hartford, or something like that. I watch amused as the Gilmore women fill their plates. They are definitely eaters, like wow. They eat more than me and I'm a growing boy. As I fill my plate, I look around at the people in the room. Lorelai is talking to Luke and the other two adults about her job, and they are laughing at whatever story she's telling. I focus on my uncle, noticing the change in him that Lorelai seems to bring out. He smiles more, laughs and actually seems less monosyllabic in her presence. He loves her. It's obvious to me. And I think she might like him to, she just hasn't realized it yet.

Bre POV~

Dinner went smoothly after Jess came in with Lorelai. The food was amazing, which makes sense since Sukie is apparently the head chef at the inn where Lorelai works. Jess stays pretty quiet, only adding bits and pieces to the conversation, he is usually that way. More content to watch and listen, only chiming in when he feels like it. Rory seems pretty cool. She's a little naïve, but that doesn't surprise me, she grew up in this fairytale town, I grew up in the nitty gritty parts of NYC. But she's got a great book collection, and she's smart. She reads as much as J and I, and isn't afraid to share her opinion. As Sukie and Jackson head into the kitchen to grab desert, Lorelai asks me, "So Brenna, what's the story behind your ink? And how did you get it? You're not 18." I smile, remembering the night out that earned me this. "My friend in New York was a tattoo artist at a tin shop. She gave a tattoo to anyone who wanted one, law bedamned. She didn't see the need for laws about them, if you decide you want the ink, and you have thought it out why bother with restrictions and yellow tape? So I was helping her close one night, when I saw her drawing of the rose. I had been trying to decide what I wanted besides our names, but the minuet I saw the rose, I knew that's what I wanted. So she sat me down, and gave me the tattoo. I got our names because before coming here, Jess was the only real family I had, sure my mother was around, but she didn't feel like family. Jess gave up a lot of things to take care of me, and to keep me safe. I love him and I wanted to remember the things he's done for me forever, so I got our names inked above the rose. The blooming of life in the rose reminds me off all the good times he and I shared growing up, even if things weren't always great at home. I got our birthday so that the day I was given my big brother would be marked somewhere special forever." They all stared at me, shock and awe on their faces. I haven't talked as much as I have tonight in a long time, but I feel comfortable in this house, with these people. "Well that's quite the tale! I'm impressed. Have you talked to your friend since you moved here?" Lorelai is the first to break the silence. I smile softly, "No. I haven't. Amber moved to Kentucky, to take care of her grandmother when she got sick because she was the only family A had left. She and I write to each other though. It's been a year since I've seen her. Actually the last time I saw her was a month after she gave me my tat. I sent her my new address though, so that she and I can stay in contact." She nods and then shifts her attention to Jess, which worries me. He doesn't handle adult questioning to well, but I watch as Rory intently turns to him to hear his responses to the questions headed his way. I can tell she is trying to figure her out. Good luck Ror, he's a tough nut to crack. I'm the only person he fully lets in.

"So Jess, how about any pen pals you will be sharing your adventures here in Stars Hollow with? Any girls to keep in touch with?" I am suppressing laughter. Jess with a girlfriend? Please, I love my brother but he's a player. He doesn't do girlfriends. Or friends in general. Not since Mark. "Nope." Ahh, so he's going to go the monosyllabic route. Shoulda seen that one coming. Sukie pipes up, "Why not?" At this point I can't help it. I laugh. Jess turns to glare at me a little and everyone else is confused so I answer for him. "Hess too much of a tough guy for friends, the last guy he was friends with was actually trying to get into my pants, so that didn't last long. And girls love my brother but he doesn't do the whole girlfriend thing." They all nod, trying to understand how someone could survive without friends, but understanding that he was a typical teenage boy. Thankfully throughout the rest of the night no one asked about my mother, just what it was like in New York, and they all shared stories about Stars Hollow until it was time for everyone to head out. Rory stopped Jess and I on our way out, "Hey my friend Lane goes to Stars Hollow High, she could show you around tomorrow. We usually meet at Luke's before school anyway." Jess just shakes his head and leaves, but I say, "Ya that might be nice, thanks Rory." She smiles and we agree to meet at Luke's in the morning and I smile to myself as I head out. Maybe this place won't be so bad, especially since I made a friend. Little did I know, this was only the beginning.


	7. Chapter 4:First Day at Stars Hollow High

**Chapter 4: First Day at Stars Hollow High **

Bre POV~

When my alarm went off the next morning I quickly got up so that I could claim the shower first because my brother is a hot water hog. I decided not to totally shock people with my outfit, so I didn't show too much skin today. I decided on a white KISS sleeveless shirt to show off my tattoo, and my leather jacket over that. I put on my favorite pair of ripped up skinny jeans and slip my feet into my gray basketball shoes. I leave my hair down and pull on a white beanie. Ready to face the day, I head downstairs to do my before school shift, and meet Rory and her friend in an hour.

I look up an hour later when the bells chime over the door and Lorelai and Rory come in with a short Korean girl who is in the middle of changing her shirt. She was covering a bible school shirt with a Rolling Stones tour t-shirt. As they all sat down I wandered over. "Hey Rory, Lorelai, what can I get you guys?" "Hey Bre! This is Lane, and can I get a cup of coffee and French toast with bacon?" "Sure thing. Lorelai?" "Coffee! In a vat! And my usual breakfast." I laughed at her antics then looked at Lane who was staring at my shirt. "What can I get you?" "Oh, umm same as Rory. I like your shirt. I love that band!" I smile, oh ya we will get along, she's got good taste. "I like yours to, the Stones one, I'm not really a church goer." She made a face and then told me she would explain the two shirts thing later. I walk away to give Caesar their order, and tell Luke I'm going to make sure Jess is moving, but I don't even make it past the curtain before he pushes through it looking like he wants to be anywhere but here. "Morning J. You look like hell. What's up with you?" "I don't do school, you know that." I smirk, knowing this is true. He doesn't like people telling him what to do, and what to read. I on the other hand am good at school. We are both smart, I just actually do my homework and tests to get the grades that prove it. But all you have to do is pick up one of Jess's books and read his comments in the margins to know he's smart. Sometimes I wish he would apply himself, prove all the asshole teachers wrong and make something of himself, but I know he won't. I look up again to see him watching something intently. I follow his eyes to see he's looking at Lorelai and Rory's table. Luke is there filling their coffee's and him and Lorelai are doing their usual banter, and Rory is doubled over in laughter at something her mom said. I notice how happy my uncle looks and I know right then that he has a thing for a Ms. Lorelai Gilmore. I don't know why Jess is staring but I have a sneaking suspicion that he might have a thing for the younger Gilmore, but I'm sure because she's not his type, not that his type is anything good.

After Rory and Lane had finished their breakfast and I had finished my shift the three of us headed out the door Jess had breezed through 15 minutes ago. Rory headed for the bus stop leaving me and Lane alone on our walk to school. "So you and your brother are from New York?" "Yup. We lived there from the age of 3 up till we moved here." "My mother wouldn't want me to talk to you, because of the piercings and the tattoo and the clothes you wear, but I like you. You have great taste in music if your shirt is anything to go off of." I laughed at her bluntness. "Thanks. I don't really have a specific taste actually. I listen to everything and anything. But rock music is definitely up there on the top five list. My brother is a huge metal fan, and rock and basically anything loud, but the older stuff is his favorite." "He sounds cool, maybe he can hang out with us at lunch today and we can talk music!" I hate to kill her excitement but I have to. "Sorry Lane but my brother doesn't really do people, or talking unless your me. It's just how he is." She just nods and then we enter the school and she leads me to the office so I can get my schedule. I look around for Jess wondering how many periods he will survive before he bails. It's not a matter of if, but a matter of when. I was brought back to my own reality when the lady at the desk passed me my schedule.

1-AP American History Room 121

2-Spanish 4 Room 109

3-Gym

Lunch

4-Choir Room 141

5- Advanced Chemistry Room 118

6-Algebra II Room 138

7- AP American Literature Room 150

I knew I would be put in advanced classes. The only subject I struggle in is math, which is hilarious because I'm pretty good at science which includes a lot of math. "Oh let me see! Maybe we have some classes together!" I pass an excited Lane my schedule and look around the hallway for my locker, locker 345 had just been assigned a new owner. "We only have math and lunch and gym together. You're just like Rory was, in all the advanced classes." I smile at the girl and promise, we can sit together at lunch if you would like, and it would be nice to have a friend." She seems to like that idea a lot, I can tell she is lonely without Rory. "Hey Lane? Where is locker 345? Any idea?" She nods and leads me in the general direction. I feel the stares as we pass through the halls, I knew I was going to be a shiny new play toy to these people. I could already this was just another typical high school, cliques galore and popular people who will only ever be something big in life now.

"Here we are! Number 345!" I smile at the energized girl next to me, slip my backpack in the locker, only carrying a notebook and binder since I didn't have textbooks yet. "Thanks Lane. Do you have class close to me this morning? I really don't want to wonder around like a lost loser, I'm already getting enough attention as it is." Before Lane could reply, however, a tall boy appeared behind her giving me a once over and asking, "Hey Lane. Do need help losing the creepy girl?" "Dean! Don't be rude! This is Bre and she's not a creep! She's awesome!" I smirk at the boy in front of me. A farmer John type, probably a popular jock. "Just because I don't blend in well with your small town craziness doesn't make me a creep bud. By the way thanks for making me feel soo welcome here in your humble corner of the world. I'll be sure to tell the principal later when I meet with him tommorow, since I am going to be in the honors program and all he wants to see how I fit in here." The look of fear makes me want to laugh, gosh this is fun! I'm happy I have learned to stick up for myself the last few days. Lord knows Jess would have decked the kid by now, speaking of Jess, I seriously haven't seen him, and that worries me a little bit, he did promise to make an effort here but I know how he is with school. "Dean was it? Can I get a last name?" Lane looked a little shocked, and I could tell my assumptions were right just by the expression on her face. "Oh I..Um..I.." "Don't worry I'm not a class B bitch, just watch your mouth, or my brother will kick your ass." I throw my coat into my locker and then shut it. "Your brother? There's two of you?" The tall boy, Dean, looks a little worried. "Yes, but don't worry. Your silly little title of Jock king will remain unharmed. My brother isn't into the petty crap. If anything he will only take away the bad boy persona you are obviously trying for with that silly jacket." He is glaring at the end, and I am seriously trying not to laugh. "Uhm, Bre you want me to show you to your class? Because if you do we need to go like now.." I smirk at Dean one more time before I see my brother walking down the hallway, being openly admired by the many girls still in the hallways. He makes eye contact, comes up to me, sizing up the boy still in front of me, and then pulls me into his side. "Hey B, what classes you got? We share any or did you get put in the nerd farm again." I punch him lightly, and then hand him my schedule before turning to Lane, "We can go now." Jess and I follow her down the hallway, away from Dean, and Jess passes back my schedule with only a shake of his head, which means I won't see him here much, probably just at lunch. He disappears into a classroom we pass, so I catch up to Lane. "Why did you look like I kicked your cat when I shut that kid up?" "Uhm, that's Dean. Rory's Dean. Her boyfriend, and he's also pretty popular here..." "Rory is with him? Huh, well I hope she doesn't need us to get along to be friends because that kid is a prick." Just then we reach my class and I wave to Lane before heading in to report to my teacher.

I look around the classroom and realize the class is pretty small. There is only 10 kids here so far, and I highly doubt there will be too many more, AP classes are rare in schools like this. I walk up to the desk, where an older guy is sitting. "Hi. I'm Brenna Mariano. I just transferred here." He looks up, and I can tell he's trying to decide if I'm serious so I pass him my schedule. "Well Mrs. Mariano welcome. You have quite the impressive academic folder. You will sit with Jenna and Erin. Girls raise your hands, and fill Brenna in on what we are doing here." I stare at him, waiting for him to realize I don't have a textbook. "Can I help you mrs, or are you going to follow my directions?" "Uhm, I need a textbook." The man, Mr. Partino according to his name plate looks around for a spare, then hands it to me and dismisses me. I head towards the back of the room to the girls who had raised their hands, and sit down in the empty seat. They are openly staring so I sigh, knowing this is only the beginning of a very long day. "Can I help you? Do I have something in my teeth or something?" I smirk as they both jump and blush. "No...no you...you just…" They stutter together and I can automatically tell they are related. "I don't seem like the AP class kind of girl?" They nod and I just smirk some more, "Don't worry, I know I don't. That's the point." In New York if you look or act like a nerd, you're dead. So I kept my smarts hidden behind my looks and actions.

Two classes later and I'm walking into gym, and feeling glad that Lane has this class with me. I need a familiar face. After getting the uniform from the teacher I head to the locker room, and look for Lane but I don't see her so I just claim an empty locker and start changing. "Excuse me? Are you Brenna?" I turn to see a cookie cutter picture of a cheerleader staring at me. "Ya. Who's asking?" "Lindsay, Lindsay Green. Um, does your brother have a girlfriend? He is in my second period math class and he's hot!" I gag, before trying hard not to laugh because I am about to break her little heart, "Nope sorry sweetheart. My brother doesn't do dates, and trust me he doesn't do cheerleaders either." I wink at her before heading back out into the gym, almost getting bowled over by Lane in the process. "Hey! Sorry I'm late. I had to see a girl about a science project!" I smile and tell her I'll meet her in the gym. I get out to the bleachers and sit down waiting for class to start, feeling the looks from the guys. Now I'm not naïve, I know I'm pretty but I hate feeling like an objectified piece of meat. Guys stare at my boobs and my butt, not caring about anything else, it's disgusting. Just then I hear a bunch of them start to shout greetings and groan, of course farmer john has this class. "Yo Dean!" "Hey Buddy!" "Bro have you seen the new chick?!" I smirk, this will be fun. I saunter over to them, and smirk at Dean, "sure. He and I had a friendly chat this morning now didn't we Dean?" I groan because he's starting to stare to, stupid stinking little uniform. I snap at them all, "Hey pigs! My eyes are up here! Geeze get a grip on life!" and then I walk back to my original seat. They all start whispering, or at least they think they are. "Dudes! She's hot! And fiery! She's on the list!" I laugh, oh just wait till Jess hears about that. "Guys, stop. She's sitting right there! She can probably hear! And besides she's in the honors program and will tell Principle Merton!" I smirk at that, good old farmer john ruining all my fun! When Lane joins me she and I chat until the teacher finally starts class. "Alright class, gather around. Today we are going to form teams for volleyball. I want six per team. Even number of girls and guys. You have five minutes. Go." Lane and I lock arms, not going to be separated, and look around. We end up on a team with Dean and three of his buddies because Lane towed us in that direction and we got one other girl as well, Lindsay, the girl from the locker room. Oh joy.

After I prove why I am not a sports kind of girl and suffer through an awful gym class full of glares from the cheerleader, and awkward looks from Dean I'm the first one to dash to the locker room, dying for an escape. "So, want to fill me in on why Lindsay looked like you killed a puppy or something?" lane joins me in changing while I explain what happened, "Oh, that's typical for her. She wanted Dean to, but Rory had that one before Dean even started his first day of school." I just nod tell her to save me a seat at lunch and then I'm off to Spanish.

Walking into this class was like walking into Mexico. There was flags everywhere and bright colorful decorations all over. Mrs, Gallegos welcomed me in full Spanish, obviously to test my skills, see I was as good as my grades from previous schools seem to show that I was.

"Hola y bienvenidos."

"Hola, mi nombre es Brenna y yo acabo de mudarme aquí desde Nueva York."

"Bienvenido a Stars Hollow High esquela. ¿Cuántos años tiene?"

"Diecisiete ma'am. ¿Dónde me siento?"

She smiles and points to the third row, fourth seat. She writes my name down on the chart in front of her but stops me before I can sit. The class bell had rung by now and everyone was here, and I could feel all eyes on me.

"¿Cuánto tiempo han estado aprendiendo español queridos?"

I sigh, knowing that was coming but I answered, "Desde que tenía diez años. Mi amigo me enseñó. Ella era de México. Ella fue mi tutor hasta que pude conseguir una manija en el idioma. Me siento muy bien ahora." She smiles, satisfied and waves me to my seat. I sink into it happily, glad the show is over, but I know that I just made even more enemies by the looks on people's faces around me. "Well class, Brenna is a new student, and as you all heard she is very good. Maybe some of you should ask her for help. Some of you need it. Now let's get started."

45 minutes later we are released, and I make a beeline for my locker to dump my textbooks from the morning into it, and then I head to the lunch room, looking for Lane as I go. I had money from Luke for lunch, but after the morning I had I wasn't feeling too keen on eating much. I slipped into the line, grabbed a salad and a banana. Then I grabbed a bottle of water, paid and went off in search of Lane, but was cut off by the looming figure of Dean. "What!" I snap, not in the mood for any more stares or pickup lines or awkward conversations. "I wanted to apologize for this morning. I judged you before I knew you, and that was wrong of me. I'm just protective of Lane because she is my girlfriend, Rory's, best friend." I smirk. "Oh I know she is, that's how we meet. I had dinner with Lorelai and Rory last night. They are pretty great. Your girlfriend is a genius, and I'm jealous of her book collection." He's staring at me, dumbfounded. "What?" "You met her already? But how?" "I'm Luke's niece, so Lorelai invited Jess and I to dinner. Now if you don't mind I have a lunch to eat and I need to find Lane." I push past him, and continue my search until I find lane at a table in the corner of the cafeteria. We chat about music and what bands we want to see live until the bell rings, then I head back to my locker with her and ask, "Hey Lane, have you seen Jess at all today?" She nods yes, "he is in my English class 2nd period but other than that I haven't seen him, why?" "No reason. Just wondering what my brother is up to." She nods and we split up to finish off the day.

I walk into the choir room and I automatically feel at home here. I love these rooms, you can feel the energy in the room, and you can hear the music speak to you in these places. I smile at Mrs. Conrad the teacher. She asks me what I am and if I play any instruments. "I'm an alto, and I play guitar and piano." She smiles and exclaims, "Fantastic! We are holding a showcase in a few weeks to fundraise money, you should perform!" Huh, sing in public alone. No choir members with me. I will think about that one. I have only ever sung in groups or alone in my apartment. I just smile and tell her I will think about and then join the choir for an hour of bliss.

The rest of the day goes pretty much the same. Most of the teachers are shocked when I introduce myself because of my looks, girls glare at me because all the guys are staring at me like I'm a fresh piece of meat. Needless to say by the time the bell rings at the end of the day I've never been more thankful to hear it. I rush to my locker and grab all the stuff I need for homework, meet Lane and then we head back to the diner to meet Rory, and get some much needed refreshments.

As the bell dings above the door at Luke's I'm greeted with the sight of my uncle and Lorelai bantering away over her cup of coffee. I smile at the adorableness in front of me before following Lane towards Lorelai. I smile at the two in greeting and then look around for my brother. "If you're looking for Jess, he is upstairs. Beat you home by about five minutes." "Thanks Luke! I'll be right back guys, just need to ask him something!" I run up to the apartment, getting greeted with blasting music, The Shags, and it only gets worse after I'm inside the small apartment. I turn it down before marching over to Jess, "Did you make a whole day?" He just nods, not looking up from his book. I flop down next to him, "you already have admirers, a couple of cheerleaders and some nerds to. I've been stared at or glared at all day because the guys think I'm going to be an easy score, pretty typical, oh and most of my teachers are judgmental pricks." He smiles at that, it's a very him comment after all, then frowns as the rest of my statement hits him so before he gets any ideas, "no. Its fine J. Leave it. If I need you I'll tell you but for now let me handle them okay?" He sighs but nods and goes back to his book and I go back down to the diner.

I groan when I get there because farmer john is talking with Lane and Lorelai, obviously waiting for Rory as well. Great. I sigh and plop down on the other side of Lorelai, who turns to me, "Hey Bre? Do you really want to serve here? Because I was at work today and one of our front desk people quit. She worked the desk with Michel and me in the afternoons and some weekends and if you want you can take the job. It pays a bit better than here and Luke is okay, he said Jess could pick up your work and between the two of them they would manage." Huh, more cash, and a job with Lorelai? Heck yes! I smile, "thanks Lorelai. That would be great! As long as Luke is sure, then ya I'm in." She smiles, pleased and I feel like a million bucks, and Dean's presence can't even ruin that. Just then Rory walks in, and into Dean's open arms. "Hey guys! How was school? Bre how was your first day? Fill me in!" "Hey Ror, I actually have to guy just wanted to see you, I have to go to practice. Love you!" Dean gets a kiss then he is gone. So Lane and Rory tell all about our days, we both had agreed not to tell her about Dean, and as I sit there I think, maybe this place won't be so bad.

***Hey guys! So the Spanish in this chapter is all stuff out of a translator, I don't actually speak much Spanish but I thought that her friend could be fluent and help her be fluent as well. Thanks for reading! ***


	8. Chapter 5:First EnemiesFriendships Made

*** Chapter 5: First Enemies and Friendships Made***

Jess POV~

When Bre told me about her new opportunity I silently thanked Lorelai. I knew she wouldn't last long waitressing, this was at least a little bit better. It did mean more work for me, but I was fine with that. She was and always is my number one priority. It's been a long day all things considered. I haven't gone through an entire day of school since the fifth grade, and it's even worse than I remember it. I can't help but feel like I should have been with Bre more, especially after the stuff she told me about those guys. I should be protecting her from stuff like that but she wanted so much to make it through today on her own, I could tell even though she couldn't. But if I over hear anything those losers say about my baby sister all bets are off.

I'm staring at a dark ceiling, listening to my uncle snore and the soft breathing of my sister but there's something else I can't get off my mind. Big, deep, cerulean blue eyes. Her eyes. I surprised her tonight, when I handed her the copy of the _Howl_ that she had offered to lend me last night in her room. She surprised me with the Dodger reference, and all I can hear is her voice calling me that, and then testing me. I can tell she is different from all the other girls on the planet. She's smart, there is no doubting that, and listening to Luke and Lorelai talk about her, you would think she was a living saint. I wonder for a moment what that pressure must feel like, if everyone sees you as perfect how do you stay that way, and what does that do to you as a person? She shouldn't have to bear that weight, she's 17, and for once this situation she is in, makes me happy I didn't have anyone besides Bre to put me up on a pedestal. I don't have a mom like Lorelai, or a person like Luke in my life. I have _her_ and Bre, Bre is the only one worth anything to me at all. I wonder what I would be like if I didn't have Bre. She keeps me grounded in a way that no one else can, and she is the one person willing to face me no matter how pissed off I am. She's unafraid because she knows I could never hurt her. I wonder what it must be like for Rory, she's an only child so she doesn't even have someone to share the burden with.

I stand up, shaking Rory from my head and pad over to watch Bre sleep. It's a thing I do every now and then, ever since that night it all began. I stand here, listen to her breathe up close and remind myself that she is okay, and that we are okay. I haven't done it in a while because I couldn't delude myself into thinking things were okay anymore. Things had been getting bad and I knew I was the cause. The guys that came into Liz's life wanted me to either submit to their will or get the heck out. I did neither, and the beatings got progressively worse as I got older but I never fought back, didn't want to get pulled up on charges, but then something happened that I can never forget, and that changed everything. And then we were sent here. I'm grateful now, not to _her_, but to the universe for bringing us here. It has already done Bre so much good and we have only been here days, and me? Well I guess I will get better, maybe even good enough… no I can't delude myself into that.

Bre POV~

After my talk with Lorelai and Rory I was happy, for the first time in a long time I was truly happy. I had a chance at a decent job, one I might not dread, and I had the makings of true friends. In the grand scheme of things, yesterday hadn't been too bad. Sure school sucks but I could deal with that if I kept getting these small gifts from the universe. As I got ready for school this morning all I could think about was what coming here meant not only for me, but for Jess and I thought about it differently this time. Sure Liz gave up, but in the grand scheme of things, that night was her fault anyway, she never picked him up off the ground and cleaned his cuts after he defended us, even her, even when she was awful he still stood up in her defense to the assholes she chose to ruin her life with. But sending us here, it may do Jess some good, as long as he puts in an effort. It's already helped me. I'm coming out of my shell, and I'm getting more confident. With that thought in mind I head downstairs to meet Rory for breakfast, but I wouldn't be meeting Lane until school because of momma Kim, the woman sounded creepy, and I know creepy. She is actually terrifying as well, I can't imagine living that way, keeping everything you love hidden so that your parents only see what they want to see instead of what you really are. Weird.

I felt the usually stares as I enter the diner, Jess and I are still new to these people so there eyes follow me constantly. I wasn't stupid, I knew they were judging my clothes, and I knew they were judging my makeup and my tattoo. I was wearing my favorite outfit today because it was starting to get colder here now, and I loved this outfit. I had on a pair of black ripped up skinny jeans, a red tank top with a cowl neck black sweater that hangs almost completely of one side of my body, showing my tattoo, and I had my hair up in a messy bun with a red bow in the base of the bun. I had on a pair of heels today, feeling the need to be taller, and I started work with Lorelai today so I wanted to look pretty but still me. They were my favorite pair, black with a red bow by the clip. I looked around for my breakfast company, but was greeted with an angry Taylor instead. "Young lady! I have been informed that you are spreading salacious rumors about our honor program! Now just because those students try very hard to do their best at school, and you don't does not give you any reason to mock the institution by claiming to be a part of it!" I scoff, typical, I don't look the part so I'm automatically not good enough, but before I can pop off and tear Taylor a new I'm surprised by who comes to my defense. "Taylor! That is incredibly rude! Bre is very smart! She is in the honor program, she is very intelligent. Just because she doesn't look like Rory or the other students does not mean that she is not just as smart!" I smile at the person behind Taylor, who just happens to be a very pissed off Lorelai with an equally as pissed Rory next to her. "Young lady how would know? For all you know she is filling your head with lies! And what is this I hear about her filling in at the Inn? Honestly Lorelai, how can expose our tourists to people like her!" HE crossed a line, and I was going to kill him. "Excuse me, Mr. Doose, I am an honors student, and I am not a slut, or a whore or anything you think I am, and I don't take kindly to being insulted! If you must know I scored a 32 on the practice ACT at my old school, I scored the highest score you can earn! And as far as I know, you have no power over the school, so I don't understand why it is any of your business!" Luke and Jess were now coming out of the kitchen, and down from upstairs due to my raised voice. "What is going on here Taylor, what did you do to my niece?!" "Lucas! How can you allow your charge to speak to me..." He was cut off by a very VERY angry Jess. "What did you do to my sister? She doesn't cry or get angry easily and she's five seconds from removing your head from your body!" "He is under the impression that my enrollment into the honors program is me spreading rumors, and dirtying his precious towns image because how could someone like me be smart enough to be a part of something like that, and he doesn't enjoy the tourists seeing me either because I dress to provocative so I must be a slut or whore or something. He didn't say it but he didn't have to." Lorelai put an arm around me, sent Taylor a glare and sat me down because I was shaking out of anger, and so was Jess, I knew what was coming next so I stopped it, "jess leave him. He's not worth you going to prison over. Just come here please." He stalked past Taylor, who flinched at the anger rolling off the two men very close to him. Jess knew what I needed to calm down, and to calm himself down. He put his arms around me and we both started taking deep breaths. Rory rounded on Taylor and I was shocked at what she said, "I used to respect you Mr. Doose, but not anymore. She scored higher than I did on that practice test! She is smart, just because she looks different doesn't mean she is any lesser than you or I! How can you still be standing there! I suggest you get out before Luke loses whatever string of sanity he is holding onto and comes after you. You of all people know how he feels about his family!" She marched to the door and held it open until he left, shooting a terrified look around at how many people had just witnessed his mistake.

I was breathing in the smell of my brother when a new set of arms found their way around my shoulders. I looked up into the replica of my own eyes, and smiled weakly at my uncle. Jess moved aside, relatively calm and Luke took his place, pulling me into a strong embrace, running a soothing hand over my hair. Surprisingly Jess had allowed this, usually after something like that no one dared touch me, or try to for fear of him, but he let Luke take some of the effort but was still hovering. I took a deep breath and put my head into my uncle's shoulder, glad that he was here. I have never had someone to comfort me before besides Jess, and it was nice to feel protected here in his arms to. I knew then that he would defend me just as much as Jess would. I pulled back and smiled at him before meeting Rory's concerned eyes, "Thanks Ror, that was awesome. A few more words from him and he wouldn't have had a head so thank you." She smiled at me before grabbing her backpack, swinging it onto her shoulders, taking the donut Luke had grabbed off the counter behind us, hugged me and then ran to catch the bus for school. I knew Jess and I had to go as well so I pulled myself back into my shocked uncle's chest one more time, took a deep breath and then got ready to face the rest of the town. "Come on J, we have school. Thank you Lorelai. What time do you want me at the Inn later?" She beamed at me before telling me to meet her at 4 in the lobby of the Inn. I agreed, waved goodbye to my uncle and Jess and I headed or day two.

Luke POV~

I was in the kitchen when I heard my niece's distressed voice begin to yell, so I dropped the plates in my hands, grabbed a towel and went to see who was bugging her. Taylor. Should have known. I was incredibly angry at what he was insinuating about my family, and Jess and I were quivering to kill him, but shockingly sweet little Rory knocked the man down a few pegs with her words, while Jess calmed his sister. As Taylor made his way out, I didn't think I just headed for my niece and slung my arm around her shoulders in comfort, but was shocked when Jess moved out of the way completely and let me pull her into my arms fully. I didn't even register what I was doing until I felt her relax further into my hold, and I felt serenely calm. I had never had someone to hold like this before, and I was enjoying the feeling, but it was very foreign, and I could feel all eyes on us.

After she had pulled me back to her for another hug, which shocked me because she didn't rely on any besides Jess for that sort of comfort from what I had seen the last few days, but I was glad at least one of them seem to trust me, then again Jess did move to let me have my try with her as well, so maybe they both were trying to trust me. I felt a soft hand on my arm as I watched the two of them make their way to school, so I turned to face Lorelai. "Thanks for standing up for her, if I had known he was here I would have deflected him and saved her from that but…" She smiled in understanding and her eyes told me she understood. I felt other eyes watching so I faced the crowd still in my diner, "Shows over, eat or pay and get out if all you're going to do is stare." Everyone went back to their own business knowing I was not to be messed with right now. I was recovering the anger I had before I comforted Bre. "Taylor is so...Taylor. I'm sorry Luke. Is there anything I can do?" I smile at the beautiful woman in front of me, "No, not unless you want to sit there all day and keep me from crossing the street and pummeling him, or going to find whoever put the idea into his head and pummeling them." She laughed and I was calmed slightly by the sound, and by her presence. "Trust me Luke, want to kill him to. I can tell those kids have been through a lot and I want to help, and Bre is sweet despite her appearance. She doesn't deserve that so if I cross him again today I will hit him myself, but I have a feeling that he will stay close to the market today. But I wish I could stay, I can tell your upset but I have to go have an argument with Michel about how I'm the boss so I get to do hires, not him so his thoughts don't matter to me right now." I smile at her, knowing she's going to defend my niece once again and I can't help but feel my feelings for her grow, she's so kind and compassionate, it amazes me. I hand her a full coffee and a donut and watch her breeze out the door, before turning back to my work, deciding to put Tylor out of my mind for now.

Bre POV~

As I finish the last math problem on the worksheet we had to do for last period, I thought about what I had been through this morning. I hope Lorelai calmed Luke down, I don't want to be the reason he ends up in prison for killing Taylor, he wasn't worth the jail sentence. I then start to get nervous, I start at the Inn in an hour. I hope I don't let Lorelai down, especially since I want her to like me because I like her, and her daughter. They are both amazing.

I meet Lane outside the school, but I'm on edge, I need to play so I grab Lane and head back towards school. "What did you forget something?" "No, just something I have to do, and I think you will like it." I head straight for the choir room and park myself behind the piano. I take a deep breath and start to play the familiar tune.

Just a small town girl  
Livin' in a lonely world  
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere  
Just a city boy  
Born and raised in south Detroit  
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere

A singer in a smoky room  
A smell of wine and cheap perfume  
For a smile they can share the night  
It goes on and on, and on, and on

[Chorus]  
Strangers waiting  
Up and down the boulevard  
Their shadows searching in the night  
Streetlights, people  
Living just to find emotion  
Hiding somewhere in the night

Working hard to get my fill  
Everybody wants a thrill  
Payin' anything to roll the dice  
Just one more time  
Some will win, some will lose  
Some were born to sing the blues  
Oh, the movie never ends  
It goes on and on, and on, and on

[Chorus]

Don't stop believin'  
Hold on to the feelin'  
Streetlights, people

Don't stop believin'  
Hold on  
Streetlights, people

Don't stop believin'  
Hold on to the feelin'  
Streetlights, people

I finish, already calmer, and meet Lane's eyes. Her draw is almost to the floor so I decided to shock her some more. I play a song most people wouldn't associate with me. I had no idea that Luke had come to school looking for me when I didn't come home and had followed the sound of the music, and I didn't know that my choir teacher was in her office right next door listening, I just focused and played the song.

He said, "I've been where you've been before.  
Down every hallway's a slamming door."  
No way out, no one to come and save me  
Wasting a life that the Good Lord gave me

Then somebody said what I'm saying to you  
Opened my eyes and told me the truth."  
They said, "Just a little faith, it'll all get better."  
So I followed that preacher man down to the river

And now I'm changed  
And now I'm stronger

There must've been something in the water  
Oh, there must've been something in the water

Well, I heard what he said and I went on my way  
Didn't think about it for a couple of days  
Then it hit me like a lightning late one night  
I was all out of hope and all out of fight

Couldn't fight back the tears so I fell on my knees  
Saying, "God, if you're there come and rescue me."  
Felt love pouring down from above  
Got washed in the water, washed in the blood

And now I'm changed  
And now I'm stronger

There must be something in the water  
Oh, there must be something in the water

And now I'm singing along to amazing grace  
Can't nobody wipe this smile off my face  
Got joy in my heart, angels on my side  
Thank God almighty, I saw the light  
Gonna look ahead, no turning back  
Live everyday, give it all that I have  
Trust in someone bigger than me  
Ever since the day that I believed

I am changed  
And now I'm stronger

There must be something in the water  
Oh, there must be something in the water  
Oh, there must be something in the water  
Oh, there must be something in the water

Oh, yeah I am changed  
Stronger

Lane had regained her composure by the time I finished the second song. "Wow, you really meant it when you said your taste was eclectic huh? I mean you played a rock song on the piano, perfectly may I add, and then a country song about god just as perfectly. Can you play anything else? Any other instruments?" I smile and nod. "I taught myself how to play both the piano and the guitar. It calms me down and after this morning I needed to be calmer before I head to the Independence. Want to listen to one more? I have time for one more. I'll play it on guitar." She smiled and nodded enthusiastically. I laughed, still blissfully unaware of my audience.

Heading down south to the land of the pines  
I'm thumbing my way into North Caroline  
Staring up the road and pray to God I see headlights  
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours  
Picking me a bouquet of dogwood flowers  
And I'm a-hopin' for Raleigh, I can see my baby tonight

So rock me momma like a wagon wheel  
Rock me momma any way you feel  
Hey, momma rock me  
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain  
Rock me momma like a south bound train  
Hey, momma rock me

I'm running from the cold up in New England  
I was born to be a fiddler in an old time string band  
My baby plays a guitar, I pick a banjo now  
Oh, north country winters keep a-getting me down  
Lost my money playing poker so I had to leave town  
But I ain't turning back to living that old life no more

So rock me momma like a wagon wheel  
Rock me momma any way you feel  
Hey, momma rock me  
Hey, rock me momma like the wind and the rain  
Rock me momma like a south bound train  
Hey, momma rock me

Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke  
Caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke  
But he's a heading west from the Cumberland gap  
To Johnson City, Tennessee  
And I gotta get a move on before the sun  
I hear my baby calling my name and I know that she's the only one  
And if I die in Raleigh at least I will die free

So rock me momma like a wagon wheel  
Rock me momma any way you feel  
Hey, momma rock me  
Oh, rock me momma like the wind and the rain  
Rock me momma like a south bound train  
Hey momma rock me

Oh, so rock me momma like a wagon wheel  
Rock me momma any way you feel  
Hey, momma rock me (mama rock me, mama rock me)  
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain  
Rock me momma like a south bound train  
Hey, hey yeah momma rock me (you can rock me, rock me)

She clapped and then we both looked at the clock, and both realized we needed to get a move on. "Crap! I was supposed to be home 15 minutes ago! Momma Kim will kill me. Oh wait I'll just say we started a project today and had to meet with the group. Bye Bre! See you tomorrow and I think you should audition for the showcase!" I waved to her as she breezed out the choir room door. I put the guitar down and closed the piano lid and was about to head out myself when I was stopped by Mrs. Conrad. "Lane is right. You are amazing. I will see you at the auditions a week from today. They start at 3:30, if you work after school, make sure you're free that day. You deserve to be heard Bre, it's not fair to your voice and talent to hide in the shadows." She had nearly given me a heart attack, and by the end of her speech I'm staring at her in awe before I nod my agreement and flee. If I don't hurry I would be so late, and on my first day to! Not cool Bre!

I had no idea that after I had stopped playing Luke retreated, and was far enough away that Lane didn't see him as she ran home, and that when I left a few minutes later he was standing in the diner, looking none the wiser. I waved as I speed walked past on my way to work. I made it to the Independence at 3:56, breathing hard. I stood in the lobby trying to catch my breath and get a first look at the place that would be paying me. The place was beautiful, and I'm immediately swept up in it, feeling completely at home here. I was greeted moments later with a beaming Lorelai, who asked, "have a good day at school? Ready to start? It isn't too complicated, but it will probably take a few days to get used to." I laugh at her jabbering before I answer, "it was okay, mostly uneventful. Sure show me the way boss." I smile at her and she beams back, and her happy attitude is infectious. She leads me across the lobby to the desk and leads me behind it. "You can leave your school things in my office while you work, you're more than welcome to do homework at slow moments. Some nights will be pretty late, but we feed the staff, and Sukie makes food just for us so bonus!" She pauses while we both laugh before she goes on, "Michel should be here in a moment so you can meet him, don't mind the attitude, you get used to it. He and I will be in and out so your job is to check in guests, and answer any questions that they may have. As you can tell Stars Hollow is small so you will be able to direct people on their way soon. We usually recommend Luke's and the pizza place before Al's just because it's Al's, so if they are looking for some place less fancy and local those are what we recommend. If they are interested in Hartford or Woodbridge pass them a guide brochure and that should be sufficient. The only other responsibility would be to answer the phone if Michel isn't here to do it. I will teach you how to set up people in the computer later, but for now how about a tour? We can go find Sukie and Michel and you can get a feel for the place." I nod taking everything in, so far what she described seemed manageable.

As I follow her around I continue to see the beauty in the place. It's a great place and I can tell it's pretty popular and well known. I can also tell that Lorelai is very good at her job. She runs the place with ease, sometimes flirting but never meaning it and it's effective, I can tell everyone here respects her. We walk into the kitchen and I'm greeted with awesome smells. Whatever Sukie is making for dinner tonight smells amazing! I watch her and Lorelai interact, knowing that they are very close, I can see that they are a lot like sisters, same as Lorelai and Rory seem to be. Then an angry French man joins their conversation and I can tell that he is Michel.

"Lorelai, where is this person you insist is here for the job at the desk? How am I supposed to do my job when they cannot do theirs?" "Well Michel she's here, right behind us, and I would like you to apologize. I have filled her in, I was just showing her around. And technically you two have similar jobs so its practice for you my friend. Now play nice and meet Brenna. Bre this is Michel, and don't worry. I'm your boss not him so you don't have to bend to his every whim. Now the last thing I need to fill you in on before you start, If I need anything I usually give my keys to the desk aid, you, and they go get what I need. Can you drive? Do you have your license?" "I do, I have had it for a year. It was a mandatory class at my school so we all took Drivers Ed and then took the test. I passed, only missed two points." She smiled, "Great! Well then let's get back to the desk so that you can start!"

Four hours later and I was joining the rest of the staff in the kitchen for dinner. So far I had survived. Things had gone well, I was apparently good at my job, even with my looks, but Lorelai said that they didn't matter as long as I was friendly, besides lots of people have tattoo's they are a part of life. I felt confident that I could do well here, and Lorelai told me she thought I was a natural, I just had to work on the shyness a little bit, but I knew that already. After an amazing dinner of Mac' and Cheese like none I had ever had before and a salad I was off. It was 8 o'clock and I still had homework to complete, but I had done some of it during my shift when things got slow. I was gathering my things from Lorelai's office when she caught me on my way out. "Hey, I'm on my way home as well, you want a ride? I pas Luke's on my way and it would save you a walk in the cold." "Thanks Lorelai that would be great, and thanks again for the job, I'm more comfortable with a desk in-between me and the people I talk to, I don't do well super close to them like I had to at the diner." She smiled, "I understand, and you did well today so I think you will fit in just fine here. Well here you go, see you guys in the morning for my elixir of life!"


	9. Chapter 6: Emily Gilmore, Chris Hayden

***Chapter Six: Emily Gilmore, Christopher Hayden***

** A/N- I'm not doing the coming out ceremony itself, and things will be different from the show. I am just doing the before and a little after. Enjoy! **

Bre POV~

Things looked up after that dismal first week. Taylor kept to himself, he did get upset when Jess would read on the bridge, but it was a public place so he could do nothing, he began avoiding the diner all together, and when he did see us he tried to pretend we didn't exist, we did the same. Dean and his friends left me alone, and Lane and I started a blossoming friendship, Rory and I were as close as sisters by the end of the first weekend, and Lorelai was quickly becoming a mother figure I had never had. I was also pretty close to my uncle, he was quite but after a life with Liz, the quite was appreciated. Things between Jess and Luke were still weird, but Jess hadn't done anything to terrible yet so I was hoping that would improve with time.

I auditioned for the showcase and got in, the only people who knew were Lane and Lorelai. I hadn't told Luke or Jess yet, and it had been a week since the audition. I had to tell them soon though because the showcase was in two weeks, and I did want them, I just didn't know how to share this with them.

Work was going great, Lorelai was a great boss, and she made work fun, and I genuinely enjoyed the work I was doing, and I got to learn things about Lorelai and other townies I didn't know, Lorelai was a great storyteller, and when she drove me home every night she would tell me gossip and we would laugh over it, and she even confided in me about how her and Rory got here to begin with, which was pretty cool. I knew that she was trying to help me forget my past, but that would take a while, and even though I trust her, it would take a while for me to confide in her about my past. I just wasn't ready to reopen those wounds.

I hung out with the Gilmore girls on weekends, Lane and Dean often joining in. Usually when Dean showed up I was mostly talking to Lane and Lore because Dean only had eyes for Rory so he monopolized her time, and sometimes I wondered if that bothered her, especially since her and Jess have been talking more. I know that the idea of them talking doesn't thrill Lorelai but I promised her my brother wouldn't hurt her, and she took my word. After that first night I guess Jess had "borrowed" Rory's copy of _Howl_ and had done what he always does to books, and she had thought it was cool. They talked books some mornings in the diner, when Luke wasn't glaring holes into his head because he wasn't working, and when he wasn't blowing off work, and sometimes outside of the diner when they would cross paths. It didn't happen often, but I could tell when it did because Jess always tried a bit harder at the diner, and he was always fighting to keep his mask in place, something only I could see. I didn't say anything, I knew better than to interfere with his life, I was just happy someone besides me made him happy here, even if he would never admit it, I knew.

I knew all about Friday night diners and I had heard some Emily Gilmore stories, but I was about to learn just how much Rory cared for her grandparents, no matter how awful they could be sometimes. I heard about the Richard and Emily fight and I was Lorelai when Rory dropped the bomb the Monday after that particular dinner. "Hey mom, hey Bre. So I have news." "I sometimes got Rory's help on math because math and I don't get along, and in return I taught her some Spanish because it was something she wanted to learn. "Yeah? Is it a Paris story?" Lorelai laughed at my question, but I was serious, I had heard about the infamous Paris and she fascinated me. "Nope it's a grandpa and grandma story, mom you might want to sit down while I tell." She looked slightly worried, so Lorelai and I both dropped into seats around the table, "So I went to grandpa's to get the book he promised me, he said he would leave it for me, and I couldn't find so I followed the sound of voices and found grandma and some DAR friends on the patio." "You didn't go out did you?" "I went out there." "Mistake number one, continue." "I asked grandma if she knew where grandpa left the book after she introduced me and she told me to check the study so I did, and found the book, then I went to say goodbye and grandma asked me a question. "Mistake two, walked back into the lions den." I was curious, "What did she ask?" "I'm coming out." We were both confused, me more so then Lore because she suddenly figured it out and jumped up, "Oh no, she roped you into this. It's another chance for her to use you for the things she never got with me. No. Absolutely not okay." She headed for the phone but Rory stopped her. "I want to mom. It will make grandma happy, and I don't really care one way or the other so it doesn't really matter." She sighed, "Kid are you sure?" She nodded. "Uhm, I'm lost." After Lorelai explained about the coming out into society thing, which I didn't know was still even a thing, asked, "And you're okay with that? Wow Ror, you are way nicer than I am. I would have told her to take a hike." She laughed and then looked at Lorelai, "there's more. What are we going to do about the father daughter thingy?" "We can always call and see if he's busy, if not we can find someone else to stand in I guess. I would do it but I know mom would throw a fit because that isn't how it works." I knew they were talking about the elusive Christopher, Rory's dad. Lorelai said she would call him, and told us to start on homework while she did.

While we worked, I asked Rory, "Why is your dad coming an issue? If you don't mind me asking?" "I don't, he works and moves around a lot so it's usually a hit or miss with him, and he has only been here once." "Wow, that's gotta stink. At least with my dad I know he's not ever coming back, I know he doesn't care, but that's finite, done and over, with you it's not. I'm sorry." "It's okay, he's gotten better, we talk on the phone, but it would be nice to see him more." She nodded and then conversation dropped and we went back to homework. A few minutes later Lorelai came in, "He's in! He will be here the day before!" I could hear the relief in her voice, and the answering joy was shining in Rory's eyes. I would now get to meet the father. That would be interesting.

About a half an hour later I left, leaving them to their planning ad glad I don't have crazy relatives that would get me to do the things Rory's grandma gets her to do. I know Rory is too sweet to say no, and I know she wants her family to be patched up but she sometimes sacrifices herself for that. I know Lorelai worries about that, it's why she kept Rory's grandparents on the edge of her life for so long, which I totally understood. She wanted Rory to have a normal childhood not become a dress up doll and redo for Emily. I was thinking hard as I entered Luke's and almost bowled over the person leaving. I looked up to see Dean, and couldn't help but smirk, Rory was worried about asking him to be her escort. I would pay good money to see his face, but I kept quiet, it wasn't my story to share, "Sorry. I was lost in thought." "Its fine, it happens occasionally. No harm done." I watched him leave, knowing he was trying to be nice to me since Rory was my friend but I had a feeling that wouldn't last much longer, I don't know why but it was just a feeling, but I shook it off and headed upstairs and to bed having a feeling that this would be an interesting week.

When I walked in I noted my brother's absence, and my uncle sitting on the couch with a beer. He was watching a baseball game or something, I could hear the commentator. I knew this was going to be hard for Luke, he didn't have any nice thoughts about Rory's dad, especially since he was usually the one who had to pick up the pieces after he left. I knew that the man had no patience for a man who couldn't put his own daughter first, and I know he was jealous of the connection Lorelai and Christopher shared. I felt bad for him so I went over to him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, leaning on the back of the couch, which surprised him. "Hey Bre, I didn't hear you come in. How was your day? How are Lore and Rory?" He knew that I went there often to do my homework with Rory and talk to Lorelai. "They were good, they are in for an interesting week though." He looked confused so I explained. He was fine with everything until I said his name, then I noticed the subtle changes in his face since I had moved to sit next to him. I just laid my head on his shoulder and we sat together in silence for a minuet until I moved to get ready for bed knowing he needed to get ready as well since he had an early shipment, and I was hoping Jess would remember that and get back soon. After I finished in the bathroom I walked back to my uncle and surprised both of us when I kissed his cheek before crossing over to my bed and picking up a pile of CD's to choose since Jess lost out by not being home yet. I knew we needed something with a bit more noise to sleep and went with a Reba McEntire album. Thankfully Jess got in a minuet after I had the CD in the player. He made a face at me, but he knew the deal, so he just gathered his things for the bathroom and then waited for Luke to be done in the bathroom. "Hey B. How was your day?" "It was good, how about you? How long did you last today?" "Fourth period." I laughed, so you made it through lunch plus one, that's good for you." He smirked back then traded with Luke. "Luke? Why does Lorelai act so, I don't know, weird about Christopher?" "What do you mean?" "She acts funny when his name comes up, part of it is anxiety but there is something else there, I just can't tell what." "Oh, well my guess would be hope. Hope that he was going to stick around. She never gives up on the hope that someday he will be ready to settle down and he will want to do right by her and Rory." "Oh, well I guess that makes sense. Luke? Why…why don't you have anyone? Aren't you lonely? I know that's why Liz had the guys. She got lonely easily…" He smiled at me, "How can I be lonely when there are two other people in this apartment?" He sighed when I gave him an unsatisfied look. "Bre, the right woman, she… well its complicated, and I used to be happy on my own, but then you and your brother came along and now I know I'm not as lonely." I just smiled and kissed his cheek again before heading to bed as Jess reappeared. J said goodnight to me, grunted at Luke and then we all went to bed.

As the day of Rory's cotillion got closer, I realized I still hadn't told my uncle and Jess about my performance, which is two weeks after Rory's thing this weekend. Lorelai has wanted to kill her mother all week, because she has been calling her constantly, no matter if she was at work or not. It was two days away and I knew Lorelai would be so grateful when this craziness ended. I was working and she had left the phone from her office with me while she dealt with some particularly nasty guests. It started ringing and I had to let it hit voicemail once because I was checking a family in, but it rang again a few seconds later, so I answered it as soon I got done. "Hello, Lorelai is dealing with guests but how can I help you?" "Who are you?" A sharp voice asked and I immediately began to fear that this is who I thought it was, "Brenna Mariano, I'm a desk attendant at the Independence Inn, I'm helping Lorelai with her phone calls while she deals with a few guests." "Well you certainly could do your job better. I was left to voicemail once already." "I know I'm sorry ma'am, I was checking guests in and couldn't get to the phone in time. May I ask who is calling and how I can help?" "I'm Emily Gilmore, Lorelai's mother. When will she be done? I need to speak to her right away." "I don't know ma'am. It all depends on the guests. I can take a message if you like." "I most certainly will not leave a message with a person I don't know." "Okay ma'am I can tell Lorelai you called and have her call you as soon as she is free." "Yes, that will do. Thank you. Wait what did you say your name was?" "Brenna Mariano ma'am." "You're the new girl that Rory is friends with, what on earth are you doing working at the inn?" I roll my eyes, trying not to sigh o groan, great she knows who I am. "I need this job ma'am. Lorelai needed someone to fill a position so it worked out for us both." "Well it is highly improper to be working at your age. I will inform Lorelai of this. Tell her to call me immediately." She hung up before I could answer and I just stared at the phone, finally I understand how Lorelai constantly gets headaches with that woman around. Lorelai appeared moments later. "Your mother called. I get your pain now. She wants you to call her immediately." She groans, grabs the phone and makes a 'kill me now' face. "Have fun!" I giggle at her look and then turn back to the desk, and my open Spanish homework. When Lorelai came back she was upset. "Christopher can't get here till the morning of, and I'm stuck shopping with my mom all day tomorrow. Joy." I felt bad for the woman in front of me. "Sorry Lore. If you want I can come in and help Michel out after school tomorrow." "Don't you have rehearsal? Have told them yet?" "No I don't, Mrs. C canceled because she has to take her daughter to the doctor tomorrow. Not yet, I will tonight as long as they aren't arguing." "Then it would be great if you could. I know you don't usually work Fridays so I will pay you overtime." I shook my head, "Its fine Lore, I'm just helping out a friend." She smiled, hugged me and then went off to get yet another cup of coffee.

When I finally got back to Luke's that night I was exhausted, and had a headache the size of Texas. I got all my homework done at the inn, but I had been forced to speak to Emily four more times before Lorelai and I finished for the night and handed the reins over to the night manager. I sank into the couch next to Luke with my eyes closed. "You okay Bre? You look a little pale." "Migraine. Had to deal with Emily Gilmore over the phone. I understand Lorelai's pain now." He laughed and the got up to grab me some water and some Advil. I smiled at him gratefully and took it, then we sat in silence for a few minutes until I heard Jess on the stairs. When he came in I stopped him and told him and Luke I had something to tell them. "So my music teacher talked me into auditioning for the performers of Stars Hollow High Showcase in a few weeks and by some miracle I made the cut. Its two weeks from Saturday. Would you guys like to come…?" I drifted off looking at their faces. Luke was grinning and to my shock Jess was smiling his crooked smile at me. "I take it you do. I can get tickets. I get two free ones." They smiled at me and both congratulated me. "Congrats sis, you will kill it." "Congrats Bre, I'm sure you will do great." I beamed at both of them and I told them, Lorelai and Rory and Lane will also probably want to be there. Lane has known for since it happened." They both just nodded and then we split up to get ready for bed.

Friday dawned bright but chilly, so I pulled on a black tank top, put a red and black plaid over that with some of my ripped up jeans and a pair of soft brown leather boots that I have had forever. I was in the middle of braiding my hair in the mirror when the apartment door flew open. Lorelai burst through it looking around frantically. "Lorelai? Are you okay?" "If I hide out up here do you think I would be found out?" I laugh and go back to finishing my braid. I braided it loosely to one side and had pieces of my layered hair falling around my face and a red beanie on my head. "You will be okay, and just remember at least you have no Friday night dinner so that Rory can get her rest. Are we still meeting at your house later?" She nodded and walked down with me when I head down a minute later, after shoving the last of my things into my backpack.

When we got downstairs I was happy to see Jess being somewhat useful, and Rory sitting at the counter, hands holding a coffee mug, and laughing with Luke. He smiled at me and gave Lorelai a weird look before going back to his job. "Convinced her to face the day then?" That was directed at me and Rory was trying not to laugh at her mom's antics. I giggled, "Yes, I promised her an extra slice of pizza tonight, and everything as long as she faced the music." We laughed together and Lorelai made a face before grabbing her to-go coffee and heading out the door to meet Emily. "So Ror, you excited for tomorrow? What time is your dad supposed to get in?" He called last night, said if he can swing it he will be here tonight! But if not it will be at nine tomorrow since he know how mom and I are. Want to stay over tonight? Lane is, you can join us and we can finish coaxing Dean into his tux." "Sure, I'll tell Luke. See you tonight!" We split up and headed to school. I was meeting Lane by the sign as usual.

When I met up with Lane, we still had twenty minutes before first bell, so she asked if I would play again. I smiled and agreed. Might as well get use to singing in front of people since I would be performing for the whole of Stars Hollow in two weeks. So the two of us headed through the mostly empty halls and entered the choir room. I was in the mood for the piano so I sat down and opened the lid. I decided to do a pop song today and thought for a minute before deciding on a song.

Step one, you say we need to talk  
He walks, you say sit down, it's just a talk  
He smiles politely back at you  
You stare politely right on through  
Some sort of window to your right  
As he goes left, and you stay right  
Between the lines of fear and blame  
You begin to wonder why you came

[Chorus]  
Where did I go wrong?  
I lost a friend  
Somewhere along in the bitterness  
And I would have stayed up with you all night  
Had I known how to save a life

Let him know that you know best  
Cause after all, you do know best  
Try to slip past his defense  
Without granting innocence  
Lay down a list of what is wrong  
The things you've told him all along  
And pray to God he hears you  
And I pray to God he hears you

[Chorus]

As he begins to raise his voice  
You lower yours and grant him one last choice  
Drive until you lose the road  
Or break with the ones you've followed  
He will do one of two things  
He will admit to everything  
Or he'll say he's just not the same  
And you'll begin to wonder why you came

[Chorus: x2]

How to save a life  
How to save a life

[Chorus: x2]

How to save a life  
How to save a life

"That song gives me the chills every time I hear it. You sing it really well." "Thanks Lane. I love that song, and it's one of the first I learned to play. It's pretty easy to play." "Are you coming to Rory's tonight?" "Yup, I have to stop by and tell Luke I'm just going to stay, but then I'll be there. I am going to cover the desk at the inn for a few hours though to help Lorelai out." She nodded and then we headed off to get the school day over.

I made it through my morning classes and lunch without too much stress, I was good at getting my homework done on time so I never had to worry about that and I was a good test taker so I didn't stress about those either. The only stressful aspect of school for me is the group work, but so far I have avoided that. But my luck was about to run out.

I walked into Spanish and greeted my teacher and we had our usual conversation in full Spanish before I took my seat in the back of the class. A few minutes later she started class, and then told us we would be split into groups for a group oral test to see how well we can hold a conversation in full Spanish. She was going to split us up, and then we were going to be given a topic to discuss and we would have to converse about it for five minutes in front of the rest of the class, and we had two weeks to get the assignment done. We were split into groups of four, and as soon as my group got arranged in one corner of the room I knew I was going to be carrying the weight by the way they were all looking at me, but then Mrs. Gallegos ruined that for them. "I don't want you to take advantage of Bre, so she will be limited to only five lines out of the whole presentation, and I will be able to tell if she does much of the leg work so work together." I smirk, bonus of being the teachers favorite, she made sure you got no crap. "Well I'm glad to help of course, but ya I am so not doing it all by myself." They all just nodded and we agreed to meet in the library Monday to start. Stress added to my plate now, I head to math to take our weekly chapter test, which I breezed through thanks to Rory's tutoring. When I finally escaped to the solace of AP Lit I was greeted with a notice that we would be starting a project in this class as well. Joy. I sat down in my usual seat and watch kids come in and start picking groups. I wondered how they could still be that naïve by this point. The teachers in AP courses never let you pick your own groups. I smirked when Mr. Abrahams proved me right a minute later by coming in and announcing that he had created groups for us based on grades in the class. I relaxed slightly knowing that I would at least get smart kids to help, and kids that care about their grades. "Lindsay, Brenna, Allie, John, Brett and Erin are group number one. Your book is _The Call of the Wild._ You are to read the book, again if you already have and then get together and discuss the book. Then you are to create a timeline of the authors writing process, you will have to research the author, and then you need to come up with a compelling 15 minute presentation that describes the books impact on its readers, and why it is an important part of American literature. Your timeline needs to be handed in a week before the presentation so that I know you are on track." The assignment was same with every other group, just a different book. I sighed wistfully when he assigned _Little Women_ to another group, that would have been easy. We agreed to meet up next week after class to find out where everyone was in the book and then I was free of school.

As I walked towards the Independence a shiny Volvo drove through town, stopped at Andrew's bookstore, and I saw a man about Lorelai's age step out. He was cute, in that older guy kind of way. I stopped into the store a minute later to grab a copy of the book I would need for Lit. The man was talking to Andrew, "It wont bounce this time. She is going to be so excited!" Andrew smiled at the man, rang him up and then handed him the giant dictionary he bought. I was behind him, waiting on Andrew, the book was right up front just for the AP kids, and the guy almost bowled me over. I had already figured this had to be Christopher because what other she in Stars Hollow would get excited over a dictionary besides Rory. "Sorry kid, didn't see you there." My plaid shirt had slipped to show the top of my tattoo and I saw him admire it. "Nice ink. Where did you get that if you live here?" "Just moved from New York. Got it there." "Ahh so you must be Brenna then. I've heard a lot about you. From both my girls." It was weird of him to call them that but I figured I would mull that over later. "Yup. That would be me, if you don't mind Christopher I have to get this and be on my way because my shift at the inn starts in ten and if I'm not there Michel will kill me." He stepped aside and went on his way. "Thankfully he could actually pay for that this time. It's been on hold for him for a year. The last time he tried his card bounced." I just nodded paid him and ran, trying not to piss of Michel.

After covering the desk at the inn for four and a half hours I was more than ready for the pizza awaiting me at Rory's so I gathered my homework and headed to Luke's so that I could tell him I wouldn't be home tonight. The bell alerted him to my presence and I was surprised to see Lorelai at the counter. "Hey Luke I'm gonna stay with Rory and Lane at Rory's tonight. Lorelai?" "Hey Bre, I was just picking up some fries from your uncle and some magic coffee to make me a nice person before I spend too much time around Chris. Go grab your stuff, I'll walk back with you." She smiled at me and I took off up the stairs to gather my necessities. In five minutes I was packed and back down stairs, where Luke was giving Lore the bags. Just as I made it into the diner the bell dinged again. I looked up and tensed. What was he doing here? Shouldn't he be waiting back at the house? "Chris?" Lorelai asked the man in question a question just with her voice. "Hey Lore, figured I would come help you carry. Thought maybe you got lost since you have been gone awhile." His eyes found the mug on the counter, between Luke and Lorelai, that she had been sipping out of to get her fix, and his eyes darkened slightly, but in an instant that expression was gone again and he walked forward, finally acknowledging my uncle and noticing me. "Bre right? And Luke. Nice to see you again." The greeting to Luke was tense, and I sensed he was jealous of my uncle, but why? "Christopher." My uncle was much better, but that one I understood. I walked to him, put my stuff down and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow Luke. Oh and Jess is out cold upstairs so he probably won't be down for a while." He pulled me into his chest and whispered, "Watch him please." I nodded and buried my head into his shoulder for a minute, enjoying his smell washing over me, before stepping away and grabbing the last bag of food as well as my stuff before Chris could. "Ready Lore?" She smiled at me, "Let's go kid. I bet you are dying for that pizza right now. It should be getting there in a matter of minutes since Dean is picking it up and his shift ended five minutes ago." I nodded and headed to the door, ignoring Christopher's attempts to take the bags, Lore doing the same. The three of us headed out into the night in silence until Christopher broke it. "So your Luke's kid?" I giggled, "No, he's my uncle. Rory must have forgot to tell you that part. He took me and my brother, Jess, in when my mom couldn't handle us anymore. He's great. He's there for us, even if he doesn't really know us, and all that jazz." It was a subtle dig, thankfully Lorelai missed it, but Christopher didn't. "Wait, how do you two already know each other?" "Oh he was in Andrew's and I had to pick up a book, we ran into each other. Literally." Christopher just nodded in conformation. I turned to Lorelai to fill her in on the goings on at the inn this afternoon since I know she worried about the inn when she wasn't there. "The inn is good. Nothing major this afternoon, although we did get a request for a big wedding in a few weeks. Oh and Michel despises me, apparently I'm as annoying as you are. Said you taught me well." I smirked at that, proud that someone compared me to Lorelai, and she beamed. "Good job kid! What did you do? Taunt the accent? Ooo or was it the following him around until he gave you what needed bit?" "The accent." She laughed for a solid minute, "Proud of you kid. Your doing great at the inn. How's school been? Did you get us tickets to the showcase? I am planning a very big poster to egg you on!" I blushed lightly at the compliment, still not used to them, "Thanks. Ya I have the tickets. I was instructed to give them to Rory though so that you don't lose them." We both laughed at that, and apparently Christopher didn't like to be ignored, "Showcase?" "Bre here is a performer. Pretty good to from what I've heard and the school is putting on a showcase of talent and Bre will be part of it." "Huh, performer huh? You like music then." I snort, "I love music. Listen to anything and everything. Not picky. I play to. The piano and the guitar. Taught myself the guitar when I was six, and the piano when I was nine. Been playing ever since." By that point we were at the house, and the door burst open. "What took so long? Oh Bre hey! Come on Dean is here with the pizza and I want a good piece!" Laughter ensued and we all headed for the kitchen. Dean and Lane were standing by the sink, talking about their science class at school when we came in. Dean immediately went to grab bags, and we let him, another slight dig from me, I don't know about Lorelai though. Chris stood around lost, as the rest of us moved around the kitchen grabbing things, talking and putting things out for dinner.

Lorelai POV~

I noticed Chris standing around, looking lost, and watching the kids move comfortable around the kitchen. I couldn't help but wonder why he seemed so surprised that they knew their way around, they were all here often, unlike him. Mean Lore mean. Give him a shot. He's here, he's got an actual car, not the bike, and he was trying. I smiled at Bre who was bantering with Rory about portion sizes. She was starting to feel like my own kid, Liz be damned. I knew she trusted me, and I was being patient with her, knowing she would tell me about her past when she was ready. She fit in so well here, and I knew she was just looking for someone to love her the way a mother should. I wanted to be that person because despite her original shocking outward appearance she was a great kid and she deserved for someone to love her. "Lore? You okay?" Chris interrupted my train of thought. "Ya, just thinking." I smile softly at him, and then we all move to the living room, the kids joking about Dean's monkey suit for tomorrow and Rory for having to participate in the ridiculous fan dance. "Is there always this many people here?" "Ya. They are pretty great kids. Lane's mom is pretty controlling so she comes here to get a breath of fresh air, basically all the time, Dean is here a lot, helps me around the house, even fixes things when Luke can't. And Bre fits right in. She's only been here for three weeks but she's great, and she has had a hard life so Luke and I like that she can be happy here, which is why he never minds that she's here a lot. And I'm the same, she's great, smart as a whip. Talks books with Rory, which Rory loves and she is just as much of an audiophile as we are as well, and we are welcoming her into the movie life to." "Wow, she must be here a lot then. Does that bother Rory? And how did she get the job at the inn?" "No why would it bug her? She loves the company, they do homework together, she's helping Bre with math and Bre is teaching Rory Spanish. She got the job because she fit the description of what I was looking for and she's a breath of fresh air after only having Michel and that snobby Claire for so long." "Huh, I would have thought the diner guy would want her working for him." Okay that was a dig at Luke. Not cool, Chris. "Nope, he wants her happy, and he has a name Chris." "Sorry it just slipped my mind for a sec, hey Ror, how's school going?" He gave a not so subtle end to the conversation. While Rory and Chris talked Dean and Lane went back to discussing science and Bre slipped down to sit against my legs. "Hey Lore? Will you French braid my hair? It's always so pretty when you do it." I smile and pull her closer to me and undo the band at the bottom of her hair. "Sure thing hun. So how is your preparation for the show coming? You nervous? Know what you're going to perform?" "It's going good. Ya I'm nervous. I've only ever sang in the shower and to Lane, never to a lot of people. Ya and all I am telling you is that I think you will like it." I laughed as I worked on her hair, "fair enough!" We sat in comfortable silence observing what was happening around us, while I braided her pretty hair. It was gorgeous and so thick, and the color was natural and it was a deep shiny black. As I neared the end I was bumped by Chris, attempting to sit next to me again. "Sorry, sorry!" I just sighed and fixed what he messed up. I could tell Bre wasn't comfortable having him that close to her though, it wasn't unusual for her to shy away from men if they made her uncomfortable, and I felt he curl closer to me. "Hey Chris? Can you do me a favor and grab me a soda out of the fridge?" He nodded and left to get it and I quickly finished Bre's hair while she whispered her thanks. I stop her before she could get up though and told her seriously, "kid if anything makes you uncomfortable tell me okay? I want you comfortable here. And when our ready I'm here to talk to okay? I'm in your corner kid, me and Luke, don't forget that." She smiled and hugged me. "I won't. Thanks Lorelai. You're a great mom you know that?" "Well I try, hard, every day." She hugged me again and then went to settle herself next to Lane. I turned, feeling his presence at the arm of the loveseat, "What? Oh and thanks for grabbing that for me." He was staring at me, and for once I couldn't quite tell what was going on in his head as he stared at me. "Nothing. Just weird to see you mother someone else's kid I guess." I stiffened slightly at that but let it pass, instead I stood up to start cleaning up. The kid's immediately stopped their conversation and helped me, Chris was once again pushed to the outskirts as people moved between the kitchen and the living room with containers, trash and refilling drinks.

Bre POV~

I tensed up naturally when Chris got really close to Lore and I, uncomfortable with him as a reflex from my past. I was grateful when Lorelai subtly got rid of him, and then quickly finished off the braid. I thanked her quietly, not wanting to draw attention to myself and then went to head back to Rory and the others but Lorelai stopped me. She shocked me with her words. "Kid if anything makes you uncomfortable tell me okay? I want you comfortable here. And when our ready I'm here to talk to okay? I'm in your corner kid, me and Luke, don't forget that." I smiled at her and hugged her, glad to have someone like her in my corner. It felt like finally having a mom again. "I won't. Thanks Lorelai. You're a great mom you know that?" "Well I try, hard, every day." I hug her, smiling and then head back to settle in next to Lane while we discuss the stories of science teachers making us dissect things, but I kept an eye on Lorelai for Luke and I saw her stiffen at whatever he said while they watched us talk and wondered what he had said, but I didn't think on it to long because Lorelai got up and started to tidy up, which we all jumped in to help, and to my amusement Christopher was once again pushed to the edges of the room until we all resettled into the living room with drinks and movie snacks. Lorelai, Rory, Lane and I were squished on the couch giggling, and laughing and Dean was on the ground, by Rory's feet laughing at our antics. Things between him and I had gotten better, he just had to disassociate me with my brother I guess. Chris was left with the chair and was staring at what was going on in front of him. Finally we all stopped laughing at the ridiculous positions we were in to fit that many of us on the couch and Rory moved to sit by Dean and lean against her mom's legs and before Chris could move an inch I settled into one side of Lorelai and Lane did the same on the other. We had an unspoken agreement that we weren't going to let him weasel his way back into their lives so easily this time. She had filled me in on the past, and we wanted the Gilmore girls happy, not a wreck over someone as low as Chris.  
Chris got stuck putting the movie in since the rest of us were already comfortable and cuddly. The theme tonight was dance movies so the first movie on the list was _Footloose._ All through the movie we commented and critiqued and even through popcorn when things got bad, or for us girls, when we thought the guy was hot, needless to say there was a lot of popcorn on the floor in front of the TV. At the end of _Footloose_ we lost Dean because he had to head home to make curfew, and at that point Lane was almost asleep on her corner of the couch, but was still awake enough for the next movie to be _Saturday Night Fever_ which she barely made it through the first ten minutes before falling asleep, leaving four of us. We still commented and bantered, well the Gilmores and I. Chris had been stoically silent all night, and I had a feeling he was pouting because he wasn't getting his chance to sweep Lorelai off her feet or something. At the end of the second movie it was midnight so we decided to get to bed so that Rory wasn't too tired for her thing tonight. Chris had his bed on the couch, and Lorelai helped me and Rory maneuver a still pretty much asleep Lane into Rory's room and onto the trundle bed. Rory and I were small enough we could share her small bed, but we helped Lorelai clean up the living room while Chris showered and got ready upstairs. When he was back downstairs he settled in to the couch and Rory said goodnight to Lorelai and then headed to her dad, leaving me with Lorelai. "Night kid, sleep well." "You to Lorelai, and thanks. For what you said earlier. It means a lot." She smiled and hugged me, holding on for a few minutes before letting go and climbing the stairs, calling goodnight to Chris. I was making my way to Rory's room when I felt his presence behind me. "What? Did you need something or can I go to bed? Rory is waiting?" "What is your angle here? What is it you think you will get out of this?" "What the heck are you talking about?" We were whispering so that we didn't wake anyone, and I had a feeling he didn't want Rory to hear this either. "What do you think you are going to get from them by hanging around? You already got a job, she's not going to hand you more money, and she's not going to give you anything." "Wow, you really are a tool aren't you? I don't want anything from them. Rory is my friend, a very good one. And Lorelai is a better mother figure than my own so I look up to her but I'm not running some con or something. I'm here to be with them. Both of them, not just trying to get into someone's pants while the other is unaware, or so you thought." "What are you saying, huh?" "All you care about here is getting Lorelai back, that's what I'm saying. And you are trying to prove at the same time, to both of them, that you're different. The book, the car, the coming here at all. But it's going to take more than this time. Lorelai is smart, and she is happy here, they both are. They don't need you to come in, play daddy or husband for a few days and then realize it's still not your thing and bail again." HE looked pissed, but he wasn't dumb enough to do anything to me. "And what. You think your diner man uncle is better for her? Please. The man can't string two sentences together and he's poor. She wouldn't go for a sucker like him, no matter how many times he plays hero." I can't help but laugh a little at his stupidity. "Wow. You really are dumb. By being rude to Luke in front of her, you're hurting self and helping him. And yes Luke would be better, anyone would better than a man who pouts because he didn't get a spot near her on the couch. Yes I noticed. He doesn't have to be rich for Lorelai to love him. All she wants is someone she can trust, and someone to come home to. He is already pretty high on his trust list and you, not so much so hate to tell you buddy, but yes Luke would be better. She deserves someone who will put her happiness above his own and not manipulate her or her child. Now I am going to go join my best friend and sleep." I left him standing there, obviously trying to grasp what I had just laid in front of him.

In the morning I woke up to Lorelai chanting at us to get moving so that she could go get at least six cups of Luke's coffee before she had to face her mother and the DAR tonight. Lane, Rory and I got ready and met Lorelai and Chris in the foyer. Lane took off for her house to make her after sleepover curfew and the four of us walked to Luke's, even though I could tell that one wanted to be going anywhere but there. We walked in and the place was pretty dead because it was earlier in the morning still. "Hey guys. Coffee?" "Do you even need to ask? If you do you don't know me at all!" Lorelai dramatically flung herself onto her usual stool and Rory joined in, "Ya! You should know we need it in an IV! We need it in massive doses to survive!" Dramatically placing herself on one side of her mother. Chris was trying hard to keep the distain off of his face but I could see it, so I did the petty thing and put myself on the stool to the right of Lorelai leaving Chris to sit on the other side of Rory. "Alright coffee, anything else Madame Drama and her protégée?" Luke rolled his eyes but nudged Rory's hand gently and smiled at Lorelai. "Yes! Usual breakfast! No eyes!" "Chocolate Chip pancakes!" He was trying not to laugh, I could tell. "Very well. How about you Bre?" "Apple Juice and toast please Luke. With Sunny side up eggs on the side? And some bacon?" "You have spent too much time like them. You are starting to eat like them!" I giggled as Lorelai threw her arm around me and declared, "There is no such thing as to much time with me Luke! I'm making your niece a normal human!" He was staring at her like she had two heads, "Okay fine a fun human!" And then she stuck her tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes and reluctantly faced his last customer. "What can I get you?" "Can I get a chai latte with scrambled eggs and sausage?" "Chai?" "Silly Christopher, Luke only makes decafe and black. None of the frou-frou stuff." I smirked at Lorelai coming to Luke's defense. "Fine then an orange juice then." Luke handed Caesar the ticket and then leaned on the counter, he could tell he was bothering the man in front of him so he was leaping at the chance to prove he knew her better. "So how much candy and junk did you drown yourselves with last night? How many boxes of mallow mars is Taylor going to have to order to replenish?" We all laughed and Lorelai replied in her southern belle accent, "Why Luke, how dare you insinuate such things!" Rory and I were laughing and Rory threw in, "We broke the record Luke. We bought all fifteen boxes! So he will have to double order! Serves him right for his silly thoughts the other week to! Double whammy on him!" Luke was looking at them in amusement, "and may I ask how many boxes the two of you ate on your own? And how many did you feed my niece so that I know how many vegetables to make her eat this week." I gave Lorelai the pleading eyes to everyone's, well almost everyone's, amusement, "Why Luke she and Lane only split the one box! The other ten boxes consumed last night were me and Rory. Some were a pre-dinner snack, some were a during dinner refreshment, and the rest were desert and movie night treats!" He looked grossed out but amused none the less. "You two are medical miracles. Honestly." He then turned to get the food Caesar had finished placing the first set in front of the Gilmore's. "There now you can eat. I know you're starving, though how you are hungry at all is shocking. The rest will be out in a bit." The banter continued and I could tell Chris was getting more and more upset, he ate in silence and refused to meet Luke's eyes, which Luke found hilarious but covered that.

When everyone was done he shot up and had Lorelai and Rory hurrying to keep up with him. "I think he gets it now Luke." I smile at my uncle as he grumbles about Chris. We both know he's going to use this time to wheedle himself back in to her heart, into both their hearts and then leave them a wreck again.

Jess POV~

I had heard all about Chris by the time I saw him tonight after Rory's thing. He and Dean both left, though Chris looked reluctant, and then the Gilmore's headed straight here, which was perfect. Luke and I had had an argument this morning that my shirts scared away costumers so as revenge I was dressed like a mini Luke. Rory and her mom breezed through the door and sat down, Rory looked like a cute oversized puff ball, and they were obviously discussing the ball they had just left. As soon as Luke headed towards them I made myself visible, and saw Brenna trying not to laugh at me from behind the register. I bused a table and was wiping it down when Lorelai directed Luke's attention to me and we argued again, although I could see the amusement in his eyes, ad her eyes.

General POV~

The next morning Chris didn't stay for breakfast, just a coffee, which was from Weston's and then left, angry that his attempt to get Lorelai had been denied him by a diner man and a cheeky 17 year old girl. The others watched the Gilmore girls for signs of sadness and when none occurred everyone let out a breath in relief and life continued on. Stars Hollow turning slowly from autumn to winter, and the days getting colder. The twins settled in nicely, well Bre did. Jess was making a splash. He finally retaliated from Tylor's insults to his sister and made a fake crime scene outside Dooses and then he felt ashamed because a certain brown haired, blue eyed resident ad his sister chewed him out because of the criticism Luke was facing. When Uncle Louie died Jess helped the secret efforts of Patti's by opening the door to the diner and letting them in. Bre prepared for her competition and worked on her projects for school as well as worked four days a week at the inn after school. She and Lorelai grew incredibly close, and soon that relationship would be tested when secrets are reviled and old faces from New York visit.

** A/N- So long chapter! Yay! Not edited much. Sorry for the cliff hanger but I promise more will be revealed. Should have the next chapter up before Sunday night so keep an eye out because things are going to get interesting. Sorry this was pretty Bre centric but the episode I used as a rough guide for this had very little Jess so I stuck with that to keep somethings the same at least. Thanks! Enjoy and thanks for reading! **


	10. Chapter 7: Competitions and New Faces

**Chapter 7: Competitions and New Faces**

***Sorry so much for the wait! I am approaching finals in college so the professors are laying it on thick, so for the next two weeks things might be rough, but then I will be out for the summer and will update much faster again. Thanks for reading! Enjoy this chapter! ****

Bre POV~

Before I knew what was really happening two weeks had flown by and the competition was in two days. I knew that there would at least be some familiar faces in the audience at this thing; Rory, Lorelai, Lane, Luke and Jess were all going to be there and I knew that they would support me no matter what happened. I nearly had a heart attack when Taylor convinced Mrs. C to turn the simple showcase into a competition. I know he was doing it because he knew I was going to be in it, but he didn't scare me.

I was sitting in the apartment alone with some good old rock and roll to calm my nerves slightly when Luke entered. "Hey kid, how was rehearsal?"

"Good, nerve wrecking, some of those kids are great, I have some good competition, your still coming tomorrow right?" He smiled, obviously liking that I wanted him there. "You bet kid. Wouldn't miss it for anything. Jess and I will be there before seven, though I warn you, Lore will probably have signs and noise makers and all sorts of nonsense."

"I wouldn't want her there any other way Luke. She's great." Before he could answer the sound of Jess returning made Luke tense slightly. Jess had tried again to make things better after the crime scene thing, and they were getting better but Luke was always a little tense around him because he hated trying to keep up with him and attempt to pull genuine conversations out of sarcastic one-liners, the only thing J ever offered. Luke was a trooper, and Jess was trying, and I was finally starting to feel like I had a real home and a real family, people I could depend on and a place to come home to every night that was warm, and cozy, the way home should be. Of course it's me so things pretty much go to hell in a handbasket the next day.

[6 hours before show]

"I can't do this. I can't. They will laugh. I'm going to become a joke to these people, give Taylor the satisfaction of ruining me, and disappoint Luke and Lorelai! Oh god and of course Rory is brining Dean so the king himself will see my downfall. How did I get talked into this?!" I was ranting, in a very Lorelai way, to Lane who simply had asked if I was ready for tonight and was now subject to my panic.

"Calm down you will do great! You're amazing! And you could never let them down, they both care about you so they will be proud no matter what. And you're a real talent so don't worry." I smile at her feeling slightly more in control of my frantic and insecure thought process. "Thanks Lane. You're a great friend you know that?"

"Well I try."

We both giggle and then she links arms with me and drags me to the choir room since its lunch time anyway. "Let's sit you at that piano and let you play to calm down. I beam at how well she knows me, and that happy feeling lasts all of two seconds before we round a corner and are almost run over by a group of jocks, Dean at the head of the group.

That tentative peace between us was shattered when I defended my brother a few days ago and told him off for being rude to my brother, and for being a real ass and spreading things about him around school because he didn't like my brother, and he definitely didn't like the blossoming friendship between his girlfriend and said brother or me and Rory's friendship either.

"Watch it!" I snap, in no mood to play nice with him in front of his cronies today.

"Geez it was just a bump, I didn't even make you fall. What's with you?"

"Just go Dean, your one of the last people I want to see right now. Go dunk your field goals and win things why don't you?"

"It's a basket, score a basket, a field goal is for football and I play basketball."

He doesn't leave, why won't he leave? "Duh I know that bud. Wow your stupid. It was an insult. Now seriously move we were going somewhere before this oh so wonderful conversation began." He turned to face Lane, waiting for her to come to his defense, and when she didn't, he huffed and stormed away with the others on his tail.

When we finally made the music room I made a beeline for the piano and sat down thinking about what to play to let the emotions go. I had been dealing with adrenaline since this morning. It woke me up super early and had made me jumpy and high strung all day. When the perfect song came to mind I smiled a little before playing. As the first notes hit her, Lane began to laugh.

It's been a really, really messed up week  
Seven days of torture, seven days of bitter  
And my girlfriend went and cheating on me  
She's a California dime but it's time for me to quit her

La, la, la, whatever  
La, la, la, it doesn't matter  
La, la, la, oh well  
La, la, la

We're goin' at it tonight, tonight  
There's a party on the rooftop  
Top of the world tonight, tonight  
And we're dancin' on the edge of the Hollywood sign

I don't know if I'll make it  
But watch how good I'll fake it  
It's all right, all right, tonight, tonight

I woke up with a strange tattoo  
Not sure how I got it, not a dollar in my pocket  
And it kinda looks just like you  
Mixed with Zach Galifianakis

La, la, la, whatever  
La, la, la, it doesn't matter  
La, la, la, oh well  
La, la, la

We're goin' at it tonight, tonight  
There's a party on the rooftop  
Top of the world tonight, tonight  
And we're dancin' on the edge of the Hollywood sign

I don't know if I'll make it  
But watch how good I'll fake it  
It's all right, all right, tonight, tonight

You got me singin' like  
Whoa, come on  
Oh, it doesn't matter  
Whoa, everybody now, oh

Just don't stop, let's keep the beat pumpin'  
Keep the beat up, let's drop the beat down  
It's my party, dance if I want to  
We can get crazy, let it all out

Just don't stop, let's keep the beat pumpin'  
Keep the beat up, let's drop the beat down  
It's my party, dance if I want to  
We can get crazy, let it all out

It's you and me and we're runnin' this town  
And it's me and you and we're shakin' the ground  
And ain't nobody gonna tell us to go  
'Cause this is our show

Everybody  
Whoa, come on  
Oh, all you animals  
Whoa, let me hear you now, oh

Tonight, tonight  
There's a party on the rooftop top of the world  
Tonight, tonight  
And we're dancin' on the edge of the Hollywood sign

I don't know if I'll make it  
But watch how good I'll fake it  
It's all right, all right, tonight, tonight  
It's all right, all right, tonight, tonight  
Yeah, it's all right, all right, tonight, tonight

Just singin' like whoa, come on  
Oh, all you party people  
Whoa, all you singletons  
Oh, even the white kids

Just don't stop, let's keep the beat pumpin'  
Keep the beat up, let's drop the beat down  
It's my party, dance if I want to  
We can get crazy, let it all out

We laughed together as I ended the song and then the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. "That song clam you down a little bit at least?" Lane asked as we made our way through the halls to our lockers before the class bell.

"Ya, I needed that. Thanks Lane! See you tonight right? Oh and do tell how you're getting past momma Kim!"

She giggled, "Sleepover at Rory's. She usually never asks what we do but if we do I will just say what I always do, reading and studying."

"Oh that's awesome! I'm glad you can make it, and I'm so glad that Lore and Rory got out of Friday night dinner for this."

"We will all be there! You will kill it and put Tylor in his place! And wow the town!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Lane! See you after the showcase!"

As I headed to my next class I couldn't take my mind off of the performance I was going to give tonight. Running notes and lyrics through my head, I didn't notice the commotion inside Luke's. All I could focus on was the showcase and how not to make a fool out of myself.

Luke POV~

I look up when the bell above the door signals a customer, thinking it would be Lorelai, she usually comes in for coffee about this time but it's not. It's Liz, as in my sister Liz. As in the mother of the children currently in my care. As in Jess and Bre's mother. What on earth was she doing here?

"What no hug for your baby sister, big brother?" And without waiting for any acknowledgement, Liz flung herself into my arms, "Oh Luke the place looks great! I can't believe this used to be dads store! And you look good! Where are my kiddos?" I look at her shocked, but mostly just annoyed.

"They are at school Liz, its Friday after all. And what are you doing here? Did they know you were coming?"

"Oh right school, silly me. Wow! Jess at school. Good job big brother! Oh no I just decided I missed my kiddos so I came to visit and maybe see when they were gonna be able to come home cause mommy misses her babies!"

I hadn't heard the bell again but the audible growl that emanated from my nephew alerted me to the complete and utterly pissed off teenage boy in the door of my dinner. "Liz. What the hell are you doing here! Today of all days! You're going to ruin this for her just like everything else! Go. Get out of here. No one wants you here. At least her and I don't."

"Now Jessie that's no way to talk to your mommy! I am here to see you and bring you home! I need you Jess! I miss my baby girl and I know she misses me! She always misses mommy!"

"No she doesn't miss you. She has everything she needs here. Me, Luke, other people. People that don't put drugs and booze above her! Above us! Here I don't have to protect her every second of every day and I don't have to worry about how to get us food because you spent everything on booze or drugs! I don't have to bribe landlords with my own savings, I don't have to deal with asshole boyfriends and I get to see my sister finally be happy!"

He was fuming, and shaking as he moved closer to her, but I knew he wouldn't hit her, that wasn't Jess. I was watching the verbal match, thanking god that no one else was in the dinner right now, and trying to jump in and calm them both down, but then the bell chimed.

Lorelai POV~

I noticed the tension the minuet I entered Luke's. Jess was shaking and glaring at a petite, grungy looking blonde, and Luke looked like he was trying to decide what to say.

"Uhm, am I interrupting something… I can come back for coffee later, and Jess, um the school bell just rang for the end of lunch…" I looked around and watched as Jess threw one last glare at the woman and turned to Luke, "I swear to god Luke get rid of her, don't let Bre see her, she doesn't need that right now. Not before tonight. Lock here until after if she won't leave but she isn't coming tonight."

I watched him storm out, and back to school, and it hit me who the woman swaying on her feet must be. I immediately felt the dread sink in, she was here, she wasn't looking great, but maybe she would try and take them back? Oh god, no! Poor Bre! I would worry about her, and I can see my own sentiment in Luke's face, but this is his sister so I play nice.

"Hi, I, uh, don't think we have met. I'm Lorelai Gilmore. My daughter is a friend of Bre's. Luke keeps me in coffee." I try and smile but I can't. I had my suspicions about the woman standing in front of me and I was terrified that she would ruin this night for Bre.

"Liz Danes! Nice to meet you! Isn't Luke just great! And I'm glad Bre bunny has friends here! She was never one to do much back in New York! Gosh Luke you did wonderful, Jess at school, though still angry and full of hate, and Bre making friends! Oh what's tonight?"

I could see Luke was frustrated, I knew that he had the same suspicions, as I did, maybe confirmed facts to. Either way he was getting upset. Put her in her place Luke! Find out if she is sober! She looks wasted right now! I'm staring at him, trying to convey those exact thoughts.

"Liz, you can't show up after only a month. I'm still trying to help them! They aren't ready to go back to New York yet, besides they just got settled here. I thought we agreed you would wait until Christmas vacation to see them again? … Liz? …Lizzie, you… I can't believe it! Your high right now aren't you! How can you think I will let them go back with you if you're not clean and sober! You know me better than that!"

"You can't keep MY kids away from me Luke! I can choose when and where to take them! And I don't care what you think! Not everyone is the perfect son who ruins his own life to take care of people! I'm not you damn it and this is the way I am! And you aren't my parent so don't try to parent me!"

Okay that was uncool, and Luke looked like he had just been punched. "I think you need to sit down and get sober Liz, and then you and Luke can talk again when you're ready. But he has a thing to be at tonight at 6:45, so you can stay here until it is over and then you all can talk as a family."

"No. I want you out Liz. You know as well as I do that if you try and get those kids back, I will do everything I can to keep them here where they are safe. I will get any rights you may have revoked. Come back again when you're the Liz I remember, not this mess in front of me trying to further ruin her children's lives." I was shocked. He actually told her to go, someone in his family and he told her to take a hike! Wow, he really loves those kids. They are so lucky!

"Luke they are my kids! Not yours! You don't like the way I am, tuff! I'm not leaving until I see my little girl! She was always nicer than Jess. She loved me. Even when that ungrateful boy didn't."

"Get out! Just get out! I will throw you out Liz! Leave them in peace and go get yourself help Lizzie. I want my real sister back." She looked absolutely furious as she marched out. Thank god Bre wasn't here. She would be a wreck right now. I hope she stays gone. She is unfit to be a mother. She was very obviously a wreck, and I wondered how long she had been that way. I now understood Jess's attitude, and the way Bre was, and still is sometimes, it all made sense now.

[3 hours before showcase]

Bre POV~

I was pacing around the music room. We had all been told to meet after school for a final run-through and then we could go home and change and get ready, as long as we were back by 6. I was trying to keep my nerves calm. Everyone was here today, not just the few that usually show up at the chosen rehearsal times. The cheer squad is doing a number, band, and at least nine other kids as well, and little old me. The outsider from New York. Boy were the cheerleaders pissed when they saw me. I don't know why, but they don't like me. They never were out right rude before though, must have something to do with the doofus jock, or something Jess did, but right now that was occupying the smallest part of my brain, the larger part still running lyrics and notes like it had been all day.

"Alright kid's thank you all for being here, I just did a head count and it looks like this is everyone so why don't we go ahead and get started. Mandy you're up first sweetie! We are going to run through the list, but not the acts themselves. Just wait backstage until I call your name, and please try to remember who you come after so that you report to the wings with plenty of time to spare tonight. As soon as I call the next group you are free to go as long as you have no further questions for me. Now Mandy you're only singing yes? Accapella?"

Mrs. C was asking people what they would need the tech crews to have where, and what chords we could provide if any did not appear in the school bucket. As the names and groups got called I got nervous again. Singers, dancers, bands, Marching Band, the Cheer Squad, they were all going to be against me…

"Dustin Riley. Poetry right? So then just a mic fabulous, you're simple." A deep laugh emanated from whoever was on stage. I hadn't been paying close enough attention to notice faces along with the names.

"Brenna Mariano."

It got deadly quite with the remaining six kids behind me, all staring at the new girl who had dared enter a showcase so soon.

"Here Mrs. C."

I walked out and stood center stage, and looked at her, waiting for the inevitable questions, anxious to get home and get calming hugs from my brother and my uncle.

"Piano correct dear?" I nod.

"Good, Good. Same number as we discussed after rehearsals last week?"

"Yes."

"Perfect. Follow the piano on tonight and then at the end, stand, bow and head off stage right. The crew will take care of the rest for you." I nod and she dismisses me with the wave of a hand and a kind smile, before calling the next group out. I headed off stage, and through the halls quickly, needing to get back to the diner so that I could shower and change before tonight.

When I reached the diner I walked in and made a beeline for the kitchen, having just seen my uncle go in there with a few plates, and seeing that the place was slow, I was going to get my hug.

"Luke, I..."

My sentence died in my mouth. He looked sad, upset, and angry. Oh god, what did Jess do now...

"Luke...What's wrong?"

He tried to smile at me, but when he realized it was more a grimace than a smile he just simply opened his arms a little, asking for a hug. I dint hesitate, not liking a sad Luke.

"Bre, you know that I love you right? And that I'm proud of how well you're doing here?"

Oh no, he's sending us home. Damn J what did you do today?! "Um, ya Luke I know…are you sending us home? What did Jess do? I might kill him!"

He stepped back, confused, "Kid this has nothing to do with Jess, well it does but he did nothing wrong, and no I'm not sending you home. The exact opposite actually. I was going to ask if you wanted to live here permanently, at least until graduation. I figured I would ask you first then tackle Jess…"

I was beaming, he wanted us to stay. He really did care!

"Yes! A million times yes!"

Maybe this is sign that tonight will be okay, I will do okay and make him and J and Lore proud.

"Now I have to go get ready! Don't wait too long to ask J! I love you Luke! You're the best!"

[1 hour until showcase]

Bre POV~

I am staring at my reflection in the mirror, thanking my lucky stars I brought a few nice things to wear from New York since good ole Liz still hasn't shipped our stuff. I am wearing my favorite and only dress. It was a strapless black dress, tight to my body, not to revealing, but it did have a cut out in the back from under my neck until my mid back was exposed in a triangle of pale skin, seemingly even paler thanks to the color. It fell to my mid-thigh and I added a red belt around my waist. I knew Luke wouldn't enjoy it, but I loved it. It showed off my tattoo because it was strapless and sleeveless, and it made me look great. My hair was curled to perfection and pinned to one side with some of my bangs framing my face and remaining uncurled as well as my favorite red bow pinned in to the back of my head above the clip. My make-up dark, but not overly so, and I was wearing my black heels with the red bows on them that I loved. The red was the only thing Mrs. C told us we had to have, otherwise she didn't care how we looked, within reason obviously. She said that since it was a school fundraiser, regardless of Taylor making it a competition we needed to promote the school by wearing red.

I headed down the diner stairs, knowing I had to get going, and was surprised at the bottom. There around a plate with a sandwich on it was Rory, Lane, Lorelai, Jess and Luke. Jess looked uncomfortable but I know this was his way of supporting me.

"Aww, thanks guys for being here! I'm glad you all are going to be there tonight! Thanks for the sandwich Luke."

They all smiled at me, whishing me luck. I grabbed the sandwich, wrapped it in a napkin, and was collecting my coat when I thought of something.

"Hey J? Walk me? I'm nervous…" He smiled slightly, "Sure B, I'll hold your sandwich while you put your jacket on."

I smiled back, "Thanks."

I slipped my arm into the same leather jacket I wore everywhere, and then I waved to everyone else and we were off. In a little under an hour they would be in an audience, I would be backstage trying not to hurl.

[10 minutes until showcase]

Bre POV~

I was trying not to hyperventilate, or hurl, or both. In 10 minutes this thing would start, and I would be on in a half an hour or so after that. It was so close, and I was beyond nervous. I was hiding in a corner of the choir room, away from everyone else, and trying to think of anything but the thing starting soon, until Mrs. C swept in and ruined that.

"Gather around everyone! In five minutes I will go greet the audience and let Principle Merton give his speech and then the MC's will have their first skit. Mandy sweetie, start warming up, and everyone in the first five acts needs to be in the wings by the time Merton finishes, okay? Good luck to everyone and thank you for helping the department raise money. Regardless of who wins tonight, you are all doing an incredible thing for this school, and for yourselves! Good luck!"

This was it, show time. I couldn't back out now. I was doing this. I watched Mandy warm up, and I watched as the other acts followed Mrs. C out to go get a spot in the wings now. I was focusing in on my breathing when I felt someone next to me.

"Hey you okay? You look pale? You nervous to?"

I froze, the deep voice was hypnotic, and calming. I turned to put a face to the voice and was greeted by the sight of a guy with emerald green eyes, brown shaggy hair, and about 6'2, so he towered over me. "Um, ya I'm nervous, first time singing in public."

He smiled, "From what I hear from Mrs. C your pretty good, so I think you will be fine, at least you have a piano to focus on, you're not looking at the audience." He laughed, and I recognized the sound. "You're Dustin aren't you?" Please don't let me be wrong, that would be awkward.

"Correct, you go right after me, and its okay I give you permission to blow me away. I'm just reading a poem so I know I won't win."

"Hey you never know! You could! It's about talent. Did you write the poem?"

He nodded, "well then I think you could win. I'm not even really sure I can place, Taylor Dosse isn't my biggest fan."

He outright laughed at that one, and my nerves were now totally gone, this guy was a calming presence.

"Taylor isn't a fan of me either, but don't worry Mrs. C controls voting and such, not him."

We both laughed together, and then realized the show was about to start, the MC's had just about finished their first skit.

"Want to go watch? That way we are already in the wings?"

"Sure sounds good, lead the way oh masterful poet."

He laughed, "You know, I think we will make fantastic friends Mrs. Bre Mariano."

"Same here Mr. Riley, same here."

[30 minutes later]

"Alright next up, we have Mr. Dustin Riley, junior here at Stars Hollow High, and honor roll student as well as a member of our schools baseball team. He is going to read his own poem, written for his mom. Let's give the fella a warm welcome!"

I whispered good luck and watched him take a deep breath before stepping away from the curtain and onto the brightly lit stage.

"Thanks for that welcome, Carter! Hey guys! So I'm going to read a poem I wrote for my mom, momma Riley, please stand up and head on up here!"

I smiled, a momma's boy, how cute.

"Ladies and gentlemen my mom, Christina Riley!"

As the audience died down, he led her to the stool on stage, and took her hand. "Mom I love you, and I'm so proud of you. As a lot of you know, my mom recently won her battle against cancer, and is still here with us, thank the lord. This woman has shaped my life from the moment I found my way into her arms at the age of five, she has given me a life I never would have had anywhere else. I love this town, and I love my adoptive family. They are the best, but mom, this one is for you."

He gave me chills as he spoke, he was good. His mom was in tears, his adoptive mom. She was beaming at him, and I could tell she loved him the way a mother should, and felt a small pang, my mother pushed me away and turned to drugs and booze... No, I'm not letting her have this night, its mine and I'm going to enjoy it. I took a deep breath to calm myself as Dustin bowed and then lead his mom off stage right. Show time!

"Wow that was great wasn't it! Well now it's time for a new member of Stars Hollow High to give us her shot! Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Brenna Mariano, Junior and honor roll student here at SHH!"

I took a deep breath and followed the two guys pushing the piano onto the stage, and sat down while they readjusted mics around me. I turned to face the audience and in the back I saw the pink neon posters that could only be a Lorelai Gilmore creation.

"Hello everyone, I'm Bre Mariano, and I'm dedicating this song to my uncle Luke, who welcomed my brother and I into his home a month ago, and has given me a life I didn't know I could have until I came here. Thank you Luke and I hope you like this! And J wipe that smug little smirk off your face or I'll let Rory smack you!"

Everyone laughed and I heard J, "Way to ruin the fun little B!"

I smiled and then turned to face the piano, placed my fingers on the keys and began my performance, any trace of nerves gone thanks to my brother.

I'm lost in her there holding that pink rod and reel.  
She's doing almost everything but sitting still.  
Talking bout her ballet shoes and training wheels,  
and her kittens. And she thinks we're just fishin'.

I say Daddy loves you baby one more time,  
she say's I know, I think I got a bite.  
An all this laughing, crying, smiling, dying here inside  
is what I call living

An she thinks we're just fishing on the river side,  
throwing back what we could fry,  
drowning worms an killing time,  
nothing too ambitious  
she ain't even thinking bout what's really going on right now  
but I guarantee this memories a big one  
and she thinks we're just fishin'

She's already pretty, like her momma is  
Gonna drive the boy's all crazy  
giver her daddy fits  
and I better do this every chance I get  
'cause time is ticking

An she thinks we're just fishing on the river side,  
throwing back what we could fry,  
drowning worms an killing time,  
nothing too ambitious  
she ain't even thinking bout what's really going on right now  
but I guarantee this memories a big one  
and she thinks we're just fishing

She ain't even thinking' bout what's really going on right now  
but I guarantee this memories a big one  
and she thinks we're just fishin'  
Yeah, she thinks we're just fishin'  
We ain't only fishin'  
This ain't about Fishin'

As the last notes faded into the auditorium it was silent for a few seconds before the applause started. And boy they all must have liked it because they were applauding and whistling and hollering. Good, I did well, and did Luke proud. I stood, bowed and took my leave stage right. I couldn't wait to see his face in about six acts from now!

Luke POV~

I listened to her sing, and watched her play and I couldn't help but beam. She loved me like a father. I was her father figure, that's what she was telling me with that song, and after that there is no way I'm letting her go anywhere with Liz, her and Jess will stay with me, where its safe, I know a court of law will take my side to because I'm a hermit and Liz has quite the rap sheet that has probably only gotten worse since she left here for New York. When she finishes I'm the first one to start clapping and the last one to stop. She's everything I could want for myself in a kid, and I know if I give Jess time he will be as well, I love them both, and I want them safe.

Lorelai POV~

Wow, she told me she was singing that song, and I usually don't like country, but her slower rendition of that song on the piano was amazing! She is incredibly gifted! I can see the proud smile on Luke's face, and I can't help a quite laugh when he jumps up and starts the huge round of applause she got. She is something special, and I hope she wins or at least places tonight so that she sees that to. I can see the determination in Luke's eyes and I know he won't let her go without a big fight, and I know he won't lose, Liz will. No one stands a chance when Luke gets that determined look in his eye.

Rory POV~

Wow. She's awesome! Lane said she was really good but that was just, wow. I'm speechless! I'm so proud of one of my best friends, she just proved to everyone here how much she loves to be here, and how much Luke means to her. So I'm not surprised by the small crooked smile I see on Jess's face as he watches his sister exit the stage, he' proud of her, and dang that's a cute smile! Shoot bad brain! You Have Dean! Who is right next to you, looing thoroughly bored and maybe a little annoyed. Probably because he was still stuck on the fact that I'm friends with the twins and he's siting very close to one he doesn't like at all. Which is annoying but I push it away, he will get over it.

Jess POV~

She has always had an incredible voice, no doubt, but even I was surprised tonight. She was absolutely incredible. I love that she is happy here, because I know she's safe here. If Liz doesn't back down I'll go back with her, and come see her as much as I can. I smile, knowing that my sister has a family here makes me happy and I'm incredibly proud of her. I've been her protector and savior for so long it's nice to sit here and play brother and just brother for once. I hope Liz backs off, I don't want to leave this place either. There is still things I want to do here, and someone I want to have next to me when I do. But she's still with the tool, who is sitting right next to her, and I can tell he isn't pleased by the crowd's reaction. He doesn't want us to fit in here. Poor him, she does now.

[Awards part of the night]

Bre POV~

"Well that concludes our show ladies and gentlemen! On behalf of Stars Hollow High I would like to thank all of tonight's amazing performers, they really embodied what this showcase was about. They are the reason I want to raise money for our music and theater department. I don't want these talented kids to lose out on the opportunities to learn and grow. It's not just about knowing how to play an instrument, or sing or dance. The spoken word is just as powerful and I'm happy with the way tonight turned out. Thanks to all of you generous people Stars Hollow High raised $2,000 dollars tonight! Yes, that deserves a round of applause!"

Mrs. C paused for a moment to let the crowd calm down again before continuing, "And now Taylor is passing out ballots, please write in order the top four acts and then pass them into the ushers in the isles. You will have five minutes, and thank you all again!"

I felt someone slip up next to me, and I knew from the shadow it was Dustin, my new found friend.

"So you totally kicked ass, if you don't win this town is crazy, crazier than it already is anyway. Sorry I couldn't tell you earlier, mom dragged me into the audience to sit with her and watch."

"That's totally okay, and thanks but I think you should win. By the way, I think it's cool you can call your adoptive mom, mom. I come from a troubled home so I know how huge a roll she must have played to earn that title, because it's always hardest to lose a mother or a father."

He nodded, "She was great with me, had tons of patience. My dad was cop, killed in the line of duty in D.C. when I was barely one year old and my mom died giving birth to me so I grew up in the foster system because I had no other family, and it wasn't pleasant. I was placed with Christina when I was five and she saved my life, turned me around and she adopted me. My brothers? All other foster kids she took in and ended up adopting. She couldn't have kids of her own, so she saved all of us, and now we are her boys."

"That's so sweet! You're lucky, I had friends that were put in the system, that are still in it, and it gets worse the older you get. Sometimes life really is cruel." He nodded, and I could tell he was about to ask my story when Mrs. C swept onstage and called for attention, a card in her hand with the winners on it, and I was grateful, but nervous. Grateful because I wasn't ready to share yet, and nervous because this was it, time to find out who won.

"Thank you again to all of our competitors, you all did wonderfully. The third and fourth place winners will be announced first, and they will both receive a gift card to the record store that just opened recently in Hartford. In fourth place we have… The Stars Hollow Drum Line! Congratulations you guys! Meet principle Merton afterwards and he will distribute the cards among you all."

One down three to go, I crossed my fingers and glanced sideways at the boy next to me and noticed how great he looked for the first time. He was fit, lean and muscular, and his simple black dress shirt and red tie made his hair shine, and his eyes sparkle, I remember that sparkle from earlier although now they are fully concentrated on Mrs. C, and his long legs are encased in Khakis and his feet were in some awesome looking black and red Vans. I shake myself out of it, and concentrate on Mrs. C again.

"Our third place winner is… Cassidy Hagle with her beautiful interpretive dance! Congratulations."

I watched the girl run on stage from the other wing, hug Mrs. C and thank the crowd. Here we go. The big two, the winner and second place. God I hope I placed! I crossed my fingers again and closed my eyes.

"Alright, the big two, the second place winner receives a scholarship to the University of Connecticut. If they choose to accept, they will be able to attend with all their tuition paid covered for four years as long as they choose something along the lines of what you saw tonight as their major. Alrighty, so…the second place winner with fifty-seven votes is, Dustin Riley and his poem to his mother! Congratulations Dustin!"

I smiled at the guy before gesturing to the stage. He ran on and up to Mrs. C and hugged her before accepting the mic to say a few words.

"Mom this is for you! I'm going to college! One way or the other and this proves it! Thank you for being my inspiration! Thank you all of you for this! It's totally awesome!"

He handed the mic back to Mrs. C, took the envelope from Principle Merton with the shake of his hand, and then jumped off stage and ran straight for his mom, picking her up and swinging her around, beaming. I took a deep breath because as happy as I was for my friend I had one last chance, and I was hoping I was the winner, I wanted that, not for me, but for Luke.

"Okay. The big one, the winner of tonight's Stars Hollow Showcase will receive a scholarship to attend any College in Connecticut and study in a four year program thanks to my newly founded, Macy M. Carrey Scholarship Fund for artists in the Hollow who wish to attend college and pursue and arts career. I am starting this scholarship in memory of my niece who loved music, and wanted to act when she grew up. Unfortunately Macy lost her battle with Leukemia last fall and her parents and I want this to be her legacy… Okay enough talking you want to know who won. The winner is….. Oh lord amazing! The winner is Brenna Mariano, our transfer student from New York!" I was frozen, she just said my name, she just! Oh my god! I won! Yes! I won!

I ran onto stage, loving the applause from the crowd and saw the signs in the back waving like crazy and beamed. I hugged a very surprised Mrs. C, I don't do touching, and then shook Principle Merton's hand before taking the mic being offered to me.

"Wow, thank you guys first of all! I can't believe this! I want to thank my uncle, without you Luke I wouldn't be here, I would still be the quite girl hiding in the park back in New York, thank you for welcoming us into your home! Thanks to one of my new best friends, Lane Kim, for encouraging me to join in this showcase tonight, and thanks to Rory and Lorelai Gilmore for their friendship and support! You guys rock, and Lore told you country is good!"

I paused to catch my breath as they laughed, and the plowed on, "and lastly to my brother Jess. Jess, thank you for taking care of me, protecting me, and keeping me sane. You are the best brother, and twin I could ever ask for. I did it J! I'm going to make something out of my life! I can't wait to hug you so I'm gonna stop talking now! Thanks again everyone!"

I walked off stage, staring at the envelope in my hand that meant I could go to college, and get a degree singing, and earn a living with one of my passions, it was mind blowing to think about. I followed the wave of students out into the lobby of the auditorium and plowed through people, accepting the congratulations until I saw them, my friends and family, in the corner, each and every one beaming wide, and a reluctant looking Dean. I was about to make my way to them when a hand caught my wrist.

"Told you so!"

I turned to face a smirking Dustin, and laughed, "Okay so you called it, but you also won something so I was right to! Hey I'm going to go talk with my family, but if you want we could catch up tomorrow at Luke's or something and talk about our new found futures," I looked up at him hesitantly, and waved the envelope in my hand slightly as emphasis.

He grinned, "I would love that! 11 at Luke's?"

I nod and then wave and run straight for Jess, who just opens his arms to catch me, like always.

"I did it J!" I whispered it in his ear, and he puts me down and I am rewarded with one of his rare smiles, "I'm proud of you B, you deserve this! You were amazing!" I then turn to Luke who's standing next to a beaming Lorelai, "So Uncle Luke, did you like the song?"

His only answer was pulling me close and holding on tight, "Congrats kid. You were awesome, and you deserve that scholarship. Thank you for the song, you're already like a daughter to me so that meant a lot."

He whispered it in my hair, and I let out a contented sigh, happy, finally happy. I hugged everyone else, got told I was cheeky by Lore because of my comment about country, grabbed my coat from the choir room and then we all headed for Luke's for pie, all except Dean who had to go get his sister and then head home.

As we walked I felt someone behind me and I turned, thinking it was someone telling me I forgot something. I wasn't ready for who I saw.

"Well you seemed to forget someone in that speech of yours, how could you forget mommy?"

I was frozen, the happy feelings, gone. Of course I couldn't be happy, she would always ruin it.

"What are you doing here?!"

It was the only thing I needed to know. Jess was being held back by Luke, and Lorelai was looking annoyed, and I realized Luke's reason for being upset earlier, and why he was checking to see if staying is what we wanted. She wanted us to go home, he didn't. He was going to fight for custody if she didn't go away. This must have all happened today.

"I came to see my babies, one already saw me and was mean, so I looked for my precious little girl but I couldn't find her until tonight, I heard the noises from that auditorium and snuck in, and found out I wasn't told earlier by my dear brother that you were singing tonight."

"Go away Liz, leave her alone! Leave us alone!"

Jess couldn't keep quite anymore, I was still frozen in place, until a hand landed on my shoulder and another took my hand. Lane was holding my hand and Lorelai had her hand on my shoulder, they were sharing their support.

"Liz, I don't want you here, I like it here, I'm happy here. I was happy tonight, why did you have to ruin that? Why do you always ruin things? Why are you even here? You don't want us, you shipped us away! You smoked and drank away the woman who was my mother when I was little! You lost that title the minuet you fell apart so badly after Jimmy walked away from us. You never got better, and Jess had to take care of us or we wouldn't have survived. You let your boyfriends beat him, and me once, you let the booze and drugs come first! I don't want you! You are not my mother! You haven't been since I was five! Luke and Jess are my family! Just leave us alone! Go back to asshat Dave or whatever his name was, go back to your booze and drugs and leave us alone. We are better off here than we ever were with you!"

Wow that felt good. I had finally snapped and told Liz exactly how I felt. I didn't dwell on the fact that I was going to have explaining to do, and so was Jess I just stared her in the eye willing her to go away. She looked angry, and before anyone could stop her she slapped me twice and started screaming.

"How dare you! I gave up everything! I lost your father because of you brats and this how you thank me? I should never have kept you! Your father wanted to get an abortion, but I said no! You owe your lives to me and this is how you thank me!"

I could feel the anger in the air around me, and I touched my stinging cheek for a moment and then lashed out, and slapped her back, but not nearly as hard and only once.

"Get, the. Hell. Away. From. Me! You aren't my mother!"

I was pulled into a strong hug, and I knew it was Jess.

"Go away Liz, go back to the city, send us our stuff and make yourself scarce, I will kill you if I ever see you touch her again."

Liz was about to retort back but was cut off by Luke.

"Liz! Get out of here! Do as he says! And if you come near them again I will get them a restraining order! Leave Liz, and don't come back or so help me god, sister or not, I will kill you for what you just did and said! You're not the sister I knew, and I don't think you ever will be again."

Lorelai took me from Jess while Luke yelled, and moved my hand to examine my face, "I don't think it will bruise kid, but it probably hurts, let's get you kids out of here, and let Luke handle this. Rory, Lane lets go."

We walked back the diner in silence, and a minute later I heard footsteps pounding the pavement to catch up and turned to throw myself at my uncle, who was more a father that anything now.

"Why doesn't she love us enough to get sober Luke? Why aren't we good enough? Why did she have to ruin tonight for me?"

I had lost all control and was sobbing into his chest, I heard everyone else's steps fading away and knew Lore kept them moving for me, even Jess.

"Kid I dint know, but you were amazing tonight. Don't let her take it from you. She's not ever going to hurt you or Jess again. I won't let her. She's not my Lizzie anymore. But you're still my perfect and beautiful Bre. I love you kid and nothings changing that."

I cried harder, thankful I had found this man and this town, and allowed him to lead me towards home.

Jess POV~

I was angry and pacing by the door of the diner. I knew Luke could calm her down, I was pissed at Liz, ten times more than usual. I was pacing, needing my sister to calm me down like she is so good at doing. I saw her appear behind me in the glass and shuddered, of course she had to be there and see Liz in all her fucking glory, drunk and wasted and cruel.

"I'm sorry Jess. Your mom shouldn't have said those things. You and Bre are amazing and I would not like a life that didn't have you in it like it does now. You two are good friends to me and I want to be that good friend back so I'm here for you okay?"

I was frozen in shock, and because she was touching me. Oh and it was calming me down. No one but Bre could calm me down when I'm this pissed and yet here Rory is making me calm and staring at me those eyes that seem like they can read right into my soul. She feels me relax and shocks me further, she pulls me in for a hug, only to let go a minute later before I can hug her back because Luke and Bre are walking in.

Bre and I meet eyes and silently agree. It's time to stop hiding. We would fill them in tonight, but not here. At Lorelai's. At least there we had enough space for everyone and weren't in the fishbowl of a diner, with townies staring at us. Tonight we would finally tell someone, a lot of someone's, about our past.

"Lore can we go to your place? Bre and I want to tell you all the story behind what you just witnessed, but don't want to do it with the town staring through the windows."

She nodded, we gathered food supplies, and stopped at Dosse's just to grab a few things, not talking to anyone. I had Bre under my arm and she was lost in thought, so was I. This was going to be hard, but had to be done, after tonight we both knew they deserved to know, and we trusted them enough to fill them in.

** A/N: Sorry for the cliff hanger but it had to be done. This was already pretty long. Thanks for reading and sticking with me! I hope you guys enjoy this insight into Jess and the others the way I like to think they would be. I love these characters, and this show and I hope I do it justice in this story! Hope to upload again soon, but with finals right around the corner things are crazy so I apologize in advance for any possible late updates! Thanks for reading! ****


	11. Chapter 8:Stories Long Burried

** Chapter 8: Stories Long Buried ***

Bre POV~

When we made it to Lorelai's and everyone was seated I looked at Jess and I knew he wanted, and needed me to be the one to verbalize our story, he was not good at putting himself out there and this was something I knew was hard for him to do, but Liz had ruined any chance of waiting any longer, they all needed to know what the heck Jess and I had meant when we both had lost it in front of Liz, and everyone else for that matter. So I took a deep breath, and decided where to begin our story.

"So I guess I just start from the beginning, the point Liz went off the deep end and never really recovered. Jess and I were about three when Jimmy stopped coming back. He would leave for a week or so, and then return again, and every time he would tell us he was ready for this life, a family life, but then things would get hard again, and he would leave again. This time we had needed to move again because we had missed rent again and the landlord was upset. Liz and Jimmy got into a fight, and Jimmy walked out. Liz cried for hours, that's the most I remember about the day but Liz told us the story numerous times in a drunk haze. Jimmy was sick of the trouble we caused, we cried too much, etc. He didn't want to be a father, so he left and that time Liz knew he wasn't coming back. After that Liz slid back into what was easy. She started getting drunk, leaving us with the neighbor when she went out and not coming to get us until one or two the next day and then repeat the whole thing, or she would drink at home. She started dating again when we were four, when she gave up on Jimmy coming back. For the first few years she rarely brought the guys home, never told them she was a mom, just one night stands. Then when we were six, she met Damion. D kept coming back to Liz so she told him she had us, and he moved in. He didn't like us and we didn't like him, but Liz was happy and she didn't notice a thing, blissfully unaware in her drunk state. She told him Jimmy left and that we were why he left. D, as we were told to call him, didn't like Jess especially because Jess had become the man of the house. He took care of us, especially when Liz was too high, or drunk, to do so herself. So he took D as an intruder, and neither of us trusted him because he was a royal dick whenever Liz wasn't paying attention or gone. One night they came back really late, and were both higher than they had ever been, and drunk. Damion and Jess clashed when Jess wouldn't let him into my room. He wanted… well that. And Jess knew it. So D beat the shit out of Jess, and then came into my room, told me I was a slut and that I was asking for it and then he tried to rape me, but Jess stopped him, even hurt, and so he beat us both, hit Liz and then took his stuff and left. He never came back."

I paused for breath and looked around. Luke was looking pissed, Jess had his eyes closed, and everyone else looked shocked. "After that Liz never really acted like a mom again. She told us it was our fault D left and that we ruined her life. She went and did what she wanted whenever she wanted, leaving us alone for days at a time. Jess and I learned how to survive. We went to school, and that is where I was happiest. Until someone started bullying me. I didn't tell Jess for a while because I knew he would start something and I was scared. After D, I never let anyone close to me, except Jess, and the older boys started picking on me and following me trying to touch me and see what would happen. Finally, at recess, I was reading on the swings and wasn't paying attention and the lead asshat came up and grabbed both my arms. I was 10 and he was 12, a sixth grader who thought he owned the planet. I screamed, because I was terrified, and Jess heard it. He was in class, he came running and by the time he found me I was sobbing and being passed around the little gang that had been bothering me and Jess lost it."

"I beat the crap out of all of them, but the leader who just watched and laughed. He was holding her to him and she was crying and screaming. His buddies didn't last long, I had learned how to defend myself and keep us safe from the guys Liz had been bringing home since Damion. I had taken every beating doled out so that no one touched her. And this little prick turned out to be the son of one of the guys that had tormented us and lived with us for about six months and had heard from his dad that Bre didn't like to be touched. Bre started to hyper ventilate and everyone, teachers and kids both just stood around watching. I told Bre to get away so she kicked the guy in the groin and then ran. I beat the crap out of him, and told him that if he ever touched her again he would regret it. Bre and I were sent home, and not allowed back at school. The other kids didn't get punished, just us. We had to move and Liz got upset. She and I got into a screaming match and Bre hid, she hated when Liz and I fought. After that I had no respect for teachers or adults in general. I started skipping school, working odd jobs and saving money. I paid our rent from the time I was thirteen until we left to come here. I hated leaving Bre at school but she loved to learn so she went, no one touched her though, and she made a few friends I knew would keep her safe, so I worked and when I did go to school I was bored because I was supposed to be moved ahead when I was little but Liz wouldn't allow it, so I was stuck in boring classes and I just stopped going."

I jumped back in. "I was put in all advanced classes when I hit high school because they could see I was bored, but they wouldn't let Jess because he never came, because he worked. I worked around school hours as well, but it was with my friend at the tattoo shop, so we were illegal but it was just me and my two friends and so we never got busted. I spent most days I wasn't working in a bookstore or the library instead of being home because I hated being around a mother who didn't love her kids enough to quit. I never gave up hope though until she sent us here."

Luke interrupted me then. "Liz didn't say what you did Jess, but why did she send you here?" Jess snorted. "I took her booze money out of her purse because we didn't have enough for rent after her latest asshole left when I wouldn't submit to his will and "rules". He had found my money and took most of it. I only had enough left for part of rent and it was due, so I stole from Liz to make the rest and paid rent. When she found out she lost it. We got into a huge fight and her flavor of the week came back for her, and he heard that I took her money and he tried to hit me for that, and he ended up with a broken nose, and arm. A neighbor called the cops and they gave me a warning. It was the first time a neighbor ever called the cops, so it was my first, and only offense, and they said as long as I stayed out of trouble it wouldn't go on my record. I don't have any offenses because Liz was so mad she sent us here. Thankfully, B didn't get back until after the cops had left so she didn't know what happened until I filled her in on what Liz had decided to do with us. She called you, used asshats money, aka my stolen money, to buy us tickets and gave them to me that morning and left to go to him. We came here and that was that. Until she had the nerve to show up tonight."

"I can't believe it got that bad. If I had known…." Luke looked so upset and Lorelai did as well. Rory was shocked, it was written on her face. I went to Luke and hugged him, "she never asked you to come because I think she knew you would take us from her and we earned her sympathy votes a lot so she didn't want to lose that. We didn't know that until we got here though. I figured it out after a few days because I could tell you had no idea how bad she was. It's okay Luke, we know we are safe here, now and that is all that matters." He hugged me and then stood up, "You two are staying here, permanently. If she tries to take you, I will take her to court. I'm not going to let her mess up your lives any more than she already has." I smiled softly, "Thanks Luke."

"Ya. Thanks Luke." Luke looked shocked, and turned to face my brother.

**Jess's POV**

I could tell he was shocked, everyone was. "I mean it. I trust you. I know you will keep her safe, and me too. I know that I don't have to work to pay rent or bills here, so thank you, and I will try to not be such an…. Ass." I meet his eyes and he smiled and nodded. I looked around and met Lorelai's eyes next. "Thank you, for everything you have done for her."

"Anytime Jess. Anytime you guys ever need anything I'm here. I'm mad that she choose drugs over her kids to. You guys have a family in me and Rory though." I just nodded and then Luke started asking if anyone was hungry and said he would go back and get some food, and Lorelai went with him to get some movies. It was decided we would all stay here tonight until we were sure Liz had left town and then figure out what to do about her tomorrow. As Luke and Lorelai were leaving I felt a hand on my arm, and looked to my right and Rory was looking at me sadly. "I'm so sorry all that happened to you. I understand why you hate school so much now. If you want though I can help you catch up…" I thought it over and then nodded. She smiled and then Bre came over and she moved away seeing that Bre wanted to talk to me.

"I know that was hard for you, but they needed to know." I smiled, "I know. I'm so proud of what you did tonight, B. That was huge. And now you have a chance at college, don't let her take that." She smiled back, "I'm not. She doesn't get to do that to me, us, anymore."

We spent the rest of the night hanging with the Gilmore Girls, and trying not to think about Liz. I could tell Luke was still upset, but Lorelai and Bre were cheering him up. Rory and I were talking books and watching the others interact. The rest of the night was peaceful, but the peace wouldn't last long. I knew Liz wouldn't leave tonight. She shared the Danes stubbornness.

** The Next Day**

** Luke's POV**

I got up early to go to the diner and open, I hadn't slept much the night before, thinking about what the twins had shared. I knew in my gut I should have gone to see them more, but when Liz moved she never sent me an address so I had no idea where she was. I was lost in thought the whole walk back to the diner. I was thankful Lore had let the kids stay there, and still in shock that Jess had actually said more than a few words to me. I knew from just those few sentences things would get better between us and I already adored Bre. It was hard not to, she was the sweetest, even if she sometimes didn't look it, and she had my eyes, the Danes eyes.

I unlocked the Diner and started work, trying to focus and was serving my first few customers when I learned that last night's showdown with Liz had been seen, and heard, by people in town. It was Patty who informed me.

"You know Luke dear, that sister of yours, she is a bad apple, those poor children, what are you going to do Luke? I saw her head to the Inn last night, she's still here." I rolled my eyes, "I will deal with it Patty." After that I didn't speak of it and wisely people didn't bring it up. I was finishing up the breakfast lunch rush when Jess walked in. "morning." I nodded and he jumped in to help, shockingly actually working. When we finished he turned to me, "I will be better. I don't want to be a letdown like her." I just smiled and said okay and we went back to work. I was surprised Lorelai hadn't come in for her morning coffee, and not long after I finished that thought she came breezing in, Rory and Bre behind her. "Coffee, in mass amounts, heck in an IV! I need it! We have a last minute party of eight at the Inn!" She sat in her usual spot at the counter and Rory joined in and Bre went up to change. "Have you seen Liz? Did she leave?" As soon as Bre was out of sight Lorelai had said what I was thinking. "No, but she has the family stubbornness so I know she is still in town, she will probably be back soon." I heard the shower start upstairs, "How is she?"

"She seems fine. She and Rory were already up when I woke up, she had made breakfast, and that is how I know you two are related." I laughed. "So are you still hungry?" "What kind of question is that?!" I laughed again, "Alright Lorelai what do you want?"

"More coffee! And eggs and bacon!" She smiled and Rory chimed in. "And I would like two doughnuts to go. I'm going to meet Dean." I nodded and gave Caesar Lore's order and then got Rory's. She smiled and left. "I'm glad those two are friends, it will do Bre a world of good." Lorelai smiled and enjoyed her coffee and I got back to work, helping Jess out. I heard Bre coming back down the stairs and smiled when she came out the curtain. Her hair wasn't hiding her face anymore these days and I know that's her way of saying she is comfortable here, and that makes me proud. This girl deserved the best I could give her and her brother, and I was going to do it, starting with giving them rooms. If I have to move so be it.

** Bre POV**

I showered and tried not to dwell on the fact that I knew Liz was probably still here. I picked out my outfit, put on my makeup and put my hair up in a messy bun. The fall weather had started to get colder so I was wearing one of my favorite outfits. My ripped up white skinny jeans, black high heeled ankle booties and ACDC tee shirt under my leather jacket. As I rounded the corner into the diner I was welcomed by Luke. "Want to join Lorelai for coffee?" "Sure, where did Jess go?"

He smiled, "I sent him to get a few things from the market." I laughed, "Poor Taylor." "Love the outfit" I smiled at Lorelai as I joined her for coffee, laughing when I noticed the food in front of her, "Still hungry after the pancakes?" she nodded and Luke rolled his eyes. Lorelai and I continued with our banter, talking about the inn and Rory and school, and missed the door open.

"Well isn't that nice. Brenna doesn't even come to find her mother and apologize, just sits with a wannabe mother. Trying to replace mommy are you Brenna. Well too bad for you. Get your things. We are leaving. Where is your brat of a brother?" I stiffened at the sound of her voice. I turned around and was met with the disaster that is my mother. "No."

"Brenna Marie Mariano, I am not going to argue anymore. Get. Your…"

"No mother. I am staying here. I am seventeen, almost eighteen and I am choosing to stay with the uncle who loves me, and not the mother who chose drugs and men over her children, I'm happy here. I'm not going anywhere with you."

"She's right. We aren't going anywhere Liz. You are. Leave." Jess was back, and pissed off. Luke heard and came from the kitchen. "Leave Liz. They are staying with me."

"Well, well, well big brother. Finally deciding to start a family? Well to bad. They are my kids. They are coming with me."

**** Sorry for the absence but I'm back now.****


	12. Chapter 9: Boys, Mothers and Gilmore

**Chapter 9: Boys, Mothers, and Gilmores Galore: ***

**Bre POV**

"That is a fight you won't in Liz, and you know it. I have a stable home life, only ever been employed in one place, own a business that is doing well, and I don't have a criminal record. You have moved multiple times, history of drug and alcohol abuse and a criminal record. So just leave them Liz. Go be with your boyfriend and let me clean up your mess. Just like always. Except this time you are the one on the losing end because these kids are the best and deserve more than you can give them. Now get off my property before I am forced to call the cops on my own sister. And leave my town."

Liz looked shocked, heck we were all shocked. Luke never turns away family and is huge on family values. But then again we all know how he feels about Liz after what Jess and I had shared. He had no respect for her, and this was him dealing with someone trying to hurt his family.

"Luke, I am their mother."

"No you aren't." Jess and I said it in sync, "You haven't been our mother since the day Jimmy left." Liz stomped her feet, trying to find an angle she could use to win, but found none, "fine. Stay here in this hellhole town, I'm done caring." And just like that Liz Danes walked out the door and effectively out of our lives. I was quivering, but Lorelai put her arms around me and I took a few deep breaths and met Jess's eyes to calm myself down. I got up and decided to go take a walk to clear my head. I found myself in the choir room, and slid behind the piano, needing to play the pain.

Baby blues staring in the window pane  
Just counting drops of rain  
Wondering if she's got the guts to take it  
Running down her dreams in a dirty dress,  
Now her heart's a mess  
Praying she'll find a way to make it

So keep on climbing, though the ground might shake  
Just keep on reaching though the limb might break  
We've come this far, don't you be scared now  
'Cause you can learn to fly on the way down

Searching for a sign in the night even like a lonely string of lights  
That'll burn just long enough for you to see it  
The road's been long and lonely and you feel like giving up  
There's more to this than just the breath you're breathing

So keep on climbing, though the ground might shake  
Just keep on reaching though the limb might break  
We've come this far, don't you be scared now  
'Cause you can learn to fly on the way down

On the way down

You won't forget the heavy steps it took to let it go  
Close your eyes, count to ten, hold your breath and fly

Keep on climbing, though the ground might shake  
Just keep on reaching though the limb might break  
We've come this far, don't you be scared now  
'Cause you can learn to fly on the way down

Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh  
Fly  
Fly

As the last notes died out I heard clapping. I looked up and found Dustin leaning against the door of the choir room. "How did you find me?" He smiled, "I followed the sound from the locker room. I had a workout for the team this morning. I love your voice. You have another one? If you don't mind that is. The rumors about you were so true, your voice is epic!" I laughed. "Okay, I can do one more. This whole performing thing is getting easier day by day." He smiled while I thought up a song, and then I smiled. I decided to shock him. So I started to play.

Come on skinny love just last the year  
Pour a little salt we were never here  
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my  
Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer

I tell my love to wreck it all  
Cut out all the ropes and let me fall  
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my  
Right in the moment this order's tall

I told you to be patient  
I told you to be fine  
I told you to be balanced  
I told you to be kind  
In the morning I'll be with you  
But it will be a different "kind"  
I'll be holding all the tickets  
And you'll be owning all the fines

Come on skinny love what happened here  
Suckle on the hope in lite brassiere  
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my  
Sullen load is full; so slow on the split

I told you to be patient  
I told you to be fine  
I told you to be balanced  
I told you to be kind  
Now all your love is wasted?  
Then who the hell was I?  
Now I'm breaking at the britches  
And at the end of all your lines

Who will love you?  
Who will fight?  
Who will fall far behind?

Come on skinny love  
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my

He was shocked, but he also looked amused. "That was awesome. Now it's my turn to surprise you. Scoot over." I smiled up at him, "You play?" "I play, not as well as you, but I play. My mom taught me. She plays for the church choir. But you have to sing because I am not great at that." "For some reason, I doubt that." He laughed and I moved over, grabbing the guitar sitting next to the piano. "Know how to play See You Again?" "Ya, you sing I rap."

**Jess POV**

"Ya, you sing I rap." I was frozen. I knew she would come here to play if she could, what I didn't expect was a guy to be here, a guy I didn't know, and that apparently she was comfortable with. I stayed quite listening as the first notes of a popular song came floating out of the choir room.

It's been a long day without you my friend  
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
We've come a long way from where we began  
Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
When I see you again

Damn who knew all the planes we flew  
Good things we've been through  
That I'll be standing right here  
Talking to you about another path I  
Know we loved to hit the road and laugh  
But something told me that it wouldn't last  
Had to switch up look at things different see the bigger picture  
Those were the days hard work forever pays now I see you in a better place

How could we not talk about family when family's all that we got?  
Everything I went through you were standing there by my side  
And now you gonna be with me for the last ride

It's been a long day without you my friend  
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
We've come a long way from where we began  
Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
when I see you again

First you both go out your way  
And the vibe is feeling strong and what's  
Small turn to a friendship, a friendship  
Turn into a bond and that bond will never  
Be broken and the love will never get lost  
And when brotherhood come first then the line  
Will never be crossed established it on our own  
When that line had to be drawn and that line is what  
We reach so remember me when I'm gone

How could we not talk about family when family's all that we got?  
Everything I went through you were standing there by my side  
And now you gonna be with me for the last ride

So let the light guide your way hold every memory  
As you go and every road you take will always lead you home

It's been a long day without you my friend  
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
We've come a long way from where we began  
Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again  
When I see you again

She laughed and he joined in. I was frozen in place. "You are really good. Singing and piano playing." "From the winner of the talent show I will take that as a compliment, and say thank you, but it's not something I advertise." "Why not? You are pretty good. You're multi-talented." "Thank you, but it's just not something I do often, or ever really. I sang in the church choir when I was younger, but then I discovered sports and never really looked back. Until last night when I watched you. You had so much heart in your voice and you were amazing to watch. I'm sure Luke loved the song." "He seemed to so I'm happy it was the first time I ever performed in front of someone that wasn't Lane. I usually am a very shy person." I could see the reflection of the two in a window and the boy looked shocked, and was sitting much too close to my sister for my liking. So I decided to make myself known. I entered the room and Bre gave me a warning look that I knew meant to play nice, or at least as nice as I ever play.

"There you are, we all wanted to know where you went off to. Lorelai said you have the night off, and Luke made sure things were taken care of." I didn't know what this guy knew so I kept to vague things but she knew what I was getting at. "Okay thanks J. This is Dustin, he was…" "The poet, ya I remember." She looked amused that I paid attention to anyone else during the show, usually that kind of stuff isn't my thing. "Oh so you did pay attention, good. Dustin this is my twin brother Jess." The kid stood up and held out a hand, "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." I smirked at his hand and didn't reciprocate and just said "huh." Bre rolled her eyes, "He's not very articulate, and don't bother with a handshake, he won't, obviously. Come on lets go get some food from Luke. I'm hungry." Dustin and Bre walked out and picked their conversation back up, and I trailed along behind them, deep in thought.

Great another guy hanging around my sister, except this guy she actually seems to like, and she let him close to her. She trusts him, but I don't. But I don't trust easily. I have seen this kid around, I know he's a jock, but he also seems to be smarter than any of the others, in a few advanced classes. None with my sister, I know that for a fact. I may have skipped to see her classes and make sure she was okay once or twice so I know who is in her classes, and he isn't. I was brought out of the thinking when I bumped into someone. "Hey Jess. What are you thinking about so hard?" Rory. Of course it had to be the girl dating farmer john, who was much too stupid for her, who would distract me from my deep thoughts. "My sister." "Oh yeah she left pretty quick this morning, is she okay?" "I think so." I pointed to the two people happily chatting at a table in my uncle's diner and she smiled at the two. "Oh that's Dustin, he's nice. He plays sports but he's also really smart, and loves to read. Maybe not as much as the three of us but he's definitely a reader. I had classes with him before I left for Chilton. Come on Jess stop frowning, he's a decent guy. Now let's go get some coffee because I need to pick your brain on something." I meant her eyes, "Using me for my brain now Gilmore?" "What are you going to do about it Mariano?" I smirked and followed her lead to the diner, smirking all the wider when I realized farmer john himself was watching from the window of the market.

**Luke POV**

I smiled at my niece when she entered with Dustin. I knew the guy, he played softball with us sometimes, and he was a good guy, his mother had seen to it that all of her boys learned how to respect and treat a lady, I served them some coffee and took their order and when I turned around Jess was walking in with Rory. "Hey guys. What can I get you? Besides coffee, I know that's partly why you're here Rory." She laughed and Jess moved around the counter to pour them coffee while Rory ordered. "A cheeseburger and fries please. I am going to enjoy greasy food while I can. I am going over to grandmas tonight because she says she doesn't see me enough and basically gave me no choice in this. Mom isn't happy, but she's going too. Grandma does want to meet friends of mine though. She's met Lane, maybe eventually she can meet Brenna…" She looked at me pleadingly. "That's a question for her Rory, she's had phone conversations with your grandmother at the inn and Emily was in fine form. It's up to Bre if she wants to open that bottle of crazy." She sighed, looking downcast. "Is there a reason you don't want to go tonight?"

"Mom and grandma got into an argument the other day, the air is going to be very frosty in Hartford tonight. I hate it when they fight, and Grandpa isn't going to be here to buffer, he's in Paris for a meeting and I would rather be here or anywhere but there." Jess, who had vanished upstairs came back with a book in his hand, which he held out to Rory, just as Dean walked in. "here you go. The things you are looking for should be in there." He passed her a copy of _Farwell to Arms_, and then smirked as Dean approached the counter his girlfriend was sitting at. "Hey Rory, what are you doing here?" She looked at him, confusion on her face, "Dean? Aren't you supposed to be at work right now?"

"Taylor gave me my lunch early and I saw you come in so I figured I would eat with you if that's okay?" "Oh, that's fine. I already ordered. I am borrowing one of Jess's books, he's got so much more insight into this author than I do and I figured I would borrow his mind to get some ideas for this paper I have to write." I left them to their discussion knowing that Dean was not a fan of my nephew.

"How are you two doing over here?" Dustin and Bre looked up, "Good Luke, can I have more coffee though?" I rolled my eyes, "to much time with Lorelai." Dustin chuckled, "That lady gets it in vats, and she's always so funny." I left them to discuss Lorelai and her coffee addictions, and served the few other customers I had, watching Jess eves drop on Rory and Dean, and it hit me, he liked her.

Just as the thought sunk in, the door opened and Lorelai herself breezed in, and headed straight for Brenna. "I need you to save me!" Brenna looked up confused, "Oh hello Dustin, congratulations on last night, but seriously Bre, I need saving. I have to go suffer Emily Gilmore's wrath and I need you to come with me and help me stay away from all the sharp objects. Rory is going to be no help!" "Hey mom! No fair! Just because I don't take sides!" Bre laughed, "Sure Lore, I'll save you but I will expect candy as payment because I may have not met your mother, but I have talked to her and wow." Lorelai was grinning in obvious victory. "Yes! Thanks sweetie! You're the best! Enjoy your afternoon and meet us at our house at 5:30!" she left them and went to her daughter, made a show of kissing her cheek and said hi to dean and then looked at me, and I sighed. "How much have you had?"

"Seven, but only three from this morning and yours is the best! Please Luke! I have to go to get tortured tonight!" She gave me the puppy eyes and I sighed and filled a mug, much to everyone's amusement, because Bre and Dustin were now sitting at the counter with Rory and Dean and Jess was leaning on the end of the counter pretending to read. "God, Luke you're a God! This is heavenly! Really good stuff!" She slid dramatically into a seat between the two girls and they all began to talk, and I just watched, glad that Bre wasn't to upset after this morning.

**Rory POV**

Dean was pushed to the side as I conversed with mom and Bre. Dustin was watching amused with our banter, but Dean just looked annoyed. I found my eyes straying to the other twin at the end of the counter. He was reading, and not paying anyone any attention. The sunlight coming in the windows highlighted his dark hair and dark eyes, I couldn't help but look, he was so interesting, and wicked smart, I always wondered what was going on in his mind. I read the cover, and was once again impressed. _Red Badge of Courage_ is what he was so intently reading, and every once in a while he would pull a pencil out and make a note and I wondered what he was writing. He always saw things in a way I never did, and it was thrilling to have him and Bre here to talk books with. Mom and Lane didn't really get it, and neither Dean, although he tried.

I was brought out of the thought, when Dean tapped my shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a second?" "Sure, what's up?"

"Can we go somewhere, I only a few minutes left on my break?"

"Dean I am spending the afternoon with Bre, what's on your mind? They are in there own little world anyway."

"Really Rory! I came here to spend my break with you and we have spent it siting here listening to them talk. I wanted to spend some time alone with you. You have been distant lately…" I sighed, "Dean, I'm sorry. I didn't know you would be here. I enjoy talking to them though. They have such a different view on things. It's so different from how things are here in New York and they have so much to say it's interesting."

He huffed, "Really Rory, what's so interesting. They are both just street kids. Big whoop."

"Dean! Be nice! They are so smart! And different from everyone else here. And they are my friends. What is wrong with you? You don't mind when I hang out with Lane?" "Lane is harmless." He got up and stomped out. I met mom's eyes and she tilted her head in question. "Later." She nodded and we rejoined the other conversation.

**Jess POV**

I could feel her watching me. I knew it was her. She watched me read a lot. I always wondered what she was thinking when she did. I felt it when her eyes left me, and looked up briefly, of course Dean. It sort of looked like they were fighting, and I wasn't the only one who noticed. Lorelai had as well. I quickly looked back down when he left and missed the small exchange between Rory and her mom. I was to lost in the happy thought of the fact that I obviously pissed Dean off and my sister did as well and Rory and her mom spent an awful lot of time here these days and that probably made him angry. I smirked and then went back to the book, all thoughts of Bre, Liz and drama gone.

**Later that afternoon***

I had been kicked out of the apartment, just like Luke, while my sister got ready for her dinner with the Gilmores. She had spent about three hours with Dustin, and the two Gilmores in the diner before the others left to get ready. Dustin chatted with Luke for a few minutes about his mom and softball then he left and Brenna had run up the stairs and I hadn't seen her since.

I heard the lock click upstairs and knew she would be down in a minuet so I waited for footsteps on the stairs. She came through the curtain and I was shocked, and I wasn't the only one. Luke was staring at her as well as everyone else who was in the diner for an early dinner.

She looked amazing, still had the NYC edge but she had definitely toned it down for the elder Gilmores tonight. She walked over to me and Luke and smiled. I smirked, "Geeze it took you forever." She rolled her eyes and Luke laughed. "You look wonderful Brenna. Don't take anything Emily says to heart okay? I have heard the stories, and met her, she can be harsh, but remember you belong here and we all love you for you." She smiled at him, and even I was impressed because Luke doesn't do feelings. "Thanks Luke I will keep that in mind."

**Bre POV**

I tried not to be nervous on the walk from Luke's to Lorelai's, I knew I looked good, the reactions at the diner proved that point, but I didn't know if I was Emily Gilmore good. I didn't have a lot of clothes here because Liz still hadn't shipped our stuff even though it has been almost two months. Typical Liz.

I was wearing a high-waisted black skirt, my white long sleeve half shirt, the only few pieces of jewelry I had, my hair was down and curled a little bit around my face, to keep my bangs out of my eyes. I had my leather jacket over the shirt and my one pair of tall boots. They were black and heeled to make me taller, because shortness runs in my family. I had kept all four of my ear piercings in but changed a few out to match the outfit, my tat was not on show, and I only had a small stud in my nose and you couldn't see my belly button piercing. I had toned down the makeup to because I wanted to make a good impression. I knew that Emily knew I was coming because Lorelai had called her earlier and she had been reamed for the late notice. I walked up just as Lorelai and Rory were leaving and Lorelai smiled at me. "She's here Rory! And looking mighty pretty." I smiled at her and Rory rushed out so Lorelai could lock the door and then we headed for the car. I climbed in back, interesting to do in a skirt, but managed.

"You nervous hun?" I nodded and she smiled, "the best way to survive a night with my mother is to just grin and bear it, and in my case drink but you, poor thing, cannot do the last one." We all laughed and I focused on the conversation swirling around me instead of the butterflies in my stomach and we headed for Hartford.

When we made it to the Gilmore residence, I was left breathless. The house, well mansion, was beautiful. "Pretty yes, but usually very frosty on the inside. I hope you aren't attached to that jacket because the maid will take it." I had figured the jacket would come off, which is why I had worn the long sleeve underneath. As I followed them to the door I couldn't help but giggle at the expression on Lorelai's face. "Okay let's get this over with." She reached out and rang the doorbell, looking very unhappy and Rory and I laughed. The maid opened the door and as suspected took our coats before pointing us to the living room. I was floored by the inside just as I had been with the outside, but was drawn away from my observations of the house by Emily Gilmore herself.

She wasn't what I expected, at all. The small red head was not what I had imagined, I had imagined someone with Lorelai's coloring and height, but that must come from her father's side. "Well do come in. Rory dear, how are you? How is school? Lorelai, what on earth are you doing?" Lorelai had been eyeing the drink cart, and had moved towards it, instead of towards her mother. "Getting a drink mother, I had a very long day." "You didn't have to work did you? On a Saturday of all days." Lorelai didn't get a chance to answer however because then Emily focused on me. "Well who do we have here? Rory are you not going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Sorry grandma, mom distracted me. This is Bre, I mean Brenna Mariano. She moved to Stars Hallow recently, remember?"

"Ahh, so you are the girl my granddaughter has been raving about." I couldn't tell what she thought of me but I stepped forward anyway. "Yes ma'am. It is nice to meet you in person. We have spoken before, on the phone?"

"Ahh yes, the girl from the inn." I nodded, and Lorelai jumped in. "Mother can I have some wine now that you have been introduced? I'm sure the girls would also enjoy a soda…" Emily looked slightly annoyed. "Always so impatient." She moved to the drink cart and started to serve drinks while we all made ourselves comfortable on the couches. I was next to Rory and Lorelai was on her own. "So tell me more about yourself dear. All I know is that you work for my daughter." She did not sound impressed by that, but I remembered her reactions from the phone call, so that was not to surprising. "I moves to Stars Hallow almost two months ago from New York. We moved in with my Uncle Luke." Emily turned her head sharply. "Luke. As in the diner man?" I didn't like the disdain in her voice but for Rory's sake tried to continue playing nice. "Yes ma'am. He is my mother's brother, and took me and my brother in when my mom needed him to." "You have a brother?"

"Yes grandma, her brother is the boy I told you about? Jess? He reads just as much as me, and works in the diner?" She pursed her lips, "ahh the younger dinner boy, of course I should have guessed." She switched her gaze back to me, "Where in New York did attend school?" I winced, "Woodland Hills High School. In the Bronx."

"Why on earth did you attend school there? I have heard awful things about that institution." I winced again. "I lived in the Bronx ma'am that was the closest high school, so that's where I attended. I was in the advanced program, I am in the advanced track classes in Stars Hallow now." She didn't look pleased so I plowed on. "I am very good at most subjects but your granddaughter has been tutoring me in math, and in return I have helped her learn Spanish." She sniffed, "Spanish? What an awful language, Latin or French would be nicer for you to learn Rory."

"I am in French, grandma, but Spanish sounded fascinating to me, and Bre is almost fluent." Lorelai also jumped to my aid. "It certainly helps me at the inn. We have a lot of travelers who are Spanish speaking now and she is a huge help to have on staff, because she is the only one who knows Spanish." I shot her a grateful smile and she returned it. Emily however remained unpleased. "Spanish travelers, really Lorelai, what kind of clientele do you get these days. And as for her working at the inn, a lady her age should never be working. I have told you the same for Rory. Do ever listen to what I say, or is it not pleasing to listen to your mother." Rory winced and Lorelai flinched visibly. I felt bad for her so I came to her aid. "It is a great help to me ma'am that Lorelai allowed me to work. I want to help my uncle take care of us, and everything I make is going into my college fund, I hope to go college and succeed in life, and Lorelai is helping me reach that goal."

Just then the maid came to announce that dinner was ready, so Emily let it slide for now and led us to the dining room, another beautiful room, but I understood Lorelai's comment about the frosty air. I was seated next to Rory, who was across from Lorelai and Emily was at the head of the table. "Now tell me Rory, how are your classes going?"

"Fine grandma, and the paper is doing well as well. I have found two fellow book enthusiasts in Bre and her brother. Their collection is impressive and eclectic!" Emily looked at me, "You read as well?"

"Oh yes. I love it. I used to sit on the balcony at home and read and listen to the city noise. It was relaxing. Reading is always a new adventure waiting to be discovered to me, and it is one of the reasons I want to be a writer, and if I don't write I want to sing." She snorted, "Sing?"

"Brenna recently won a talent competition in Stars Hallow mom. She can play the piano, sing and play the guitar as well. She is very good. Maybe after dinner she could show you? The baby grand could use a play."

"I would love to play if you would like to hear ma'am."

"No thank you maybe another time." Rory looked at her grandmother with the famous Gilmore puppy face, "Oh please grandma, she is really good, and I just love listening to her play." Emily looked her granddaughter in the eye for a moment and then gave in. I knew she very rarely denied Rory anything, ad Lorelai looked pleased that Rory had won Emily over.

The rest of dinner went smoothly. Emily seemed to warm up to me, and her Rory carried most of the conversation after she stopped questioning me. We all oved to the front room after dinner and my heart jumped for joy when I saw the baby grand piano sitting there. I had always wanted to play on one and now I can!

I slid in behind the piano and smiled at Rory, "any requests?" She thought for a moment and then shook her head. "Lorelai?" She grinned and thought for a moment obviously trying to think of a song that wouldn't offend Emily but that she wanted to hear me play. "All of Me? John Legend?" I smiled and nodded in conformation. I took a deep breath and then recalled the notes and began to play.

What would I do without your smart mouth  
Drawing me in, and you kicking me out  
You got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down  
What's going on in that beautiful mind  
I'm on your magical mystery ride  
And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright

[Bridge]  
My head's underwater  
But I'm breathing fine  
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind

[Chorus]  
'Cause all of me  
Loves all of you  
Love your curves and all your edges  
All your perfect imperfections  
Give your all to me  
I'll give my all to you  
You're my end and my beginning  
Even when I lose I'm winning  
Cause I give you all of me  
And you give me all of you, oh

As the last note faded, I looked up and Emily was obviously trying to not look impressed, and Lorelai and Rory were grinning from ear to ear and clapping. "Well you have a wonderful talent but I advise you to not make that your career young lady, musicians never make it for very long. I just smiled and thanked her and then Lorelai said it was time to go, so we got up and headed to the coat rack, and Emily saw us out. "It was wonderful to meet you young lady, please come again so that Richard can meet you, I'm sure he would love to talk books with you and Rory." I smiled, triumphant, "Thank you ma'am I will."

Sure the night started off rocky, but I just got the Emily Gilmore seal of approval! As Lorelai and Rory drove me home the gushed about how I won her over and by the time I made it home I was proud of myself.

As I climbed the stairs to the apartment I couldn't help the grin spreading across my face. The day had started off bad, but ended well, and that was all I could hope for, now Liz was gone, Dustin and I were getting closer as friends, and I had the Emily Gilmore seal of approval. I walked in and Luke was sitting up waiting. "Hey Bre, how did it go?" Jess looked up from his book as well, curious. "It went well, she likes me! It started off rough but by the end of the night we won he over!" Luke smiled, "That's great kid." Jess smirked and went back to the book and as I got ready for bed, I couldn't help but wonder what the next weeks would bring. I had a great new life, new friends and maybe even a relationship…

** Thought you guys deserved a long one, so here you go.***


End file.
